


A Little Secret

by FlameWolf



Category: Actor RPF, British Actor RPF, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies), Tom Hiddleston - Fandom
Genre: A lot of sex later story, Alternate Universe-ish, Angst, Biting, Bloodplay, Claiming, Dominant Behavior, F/M, Fluffy, Instinctual behavior, Light Bondage, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Oral, Possessive Sex, Pregnancy, Psychological Damage (Pertaining to Loki's Past), Rough Sex, Trust Issues, expect the unexpected, graphic birth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-04
Updated: 2017-09-25
Packaged: 2018-05-11 17:54:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 102,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5636368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlameWolf/pseuds/FlameWolf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When an unassuming assistant discovers something about Tom Hiddleston that could change the world, she wonders what to do with the information.  She never considers what will happen when he finds out just what she knows.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Assistant to the Stars

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Loki nor do I personally know Tom Hiddleston or any of the other famous people herein. I do not own Avengers or Thor and yes this is a work of fiction. This is just for fun and no profit will be made.
> 
> Author’s Note: It’s both exactly what you think and not at the same time. Just give it a read. (Yeah I made this a bit complicated for myself)

    “Lissa, Tom has been asking for you for weeks!” growled a scolding voice over the phone.

    “Rissa... You know exactly why I haven’t been able to work with him,” sighed the dark haired female as she slowly slid on a formal but beautiful green shirt.

    “You really should tell him about how you feel.  You can’t just keep running away every time he goes out with a new girlfriend,” sighed her best friend and co-worker as she pulled on a pair of form fitting, black pants.

    “I wasn’t hiding!” Melissa protested heatedly, earning a derisive snort from Marissa on the other end.

    “Okay, so I was fucking hiding in the bottom of a wine bottle until he broke up with her; so what?  I have a job to fucking do!  Not only would my reputation be ruined if we started dating, I highly doubt he’d want to date someone like me anyway,” Lissa sighed, pulling up her hair into a ponytail.

    “You have _got_ to be kidding me here!  Have you been ignoring the looks he’s been giving you?  What about the fact that he always asks for you to be his handler?  Before he met you, he never specifically asked for anyone,” her partner in crime pointed out, a triumphant tone to her voice.  Melissa could only grind her teeth in irritation as she put on a pair of black dress shoes.

    “I know, I know.  I’ve heard it all before.  I just... I just can’t Rissa,” the twenty-eight year old sighed as she rushed out of her house and locked the door behind herself.

    “Is this about Jeremy?  When are you gonna let him go?  That was two years ago,” her friend sighed, her voice sounding sympathetic despite her impatience.

    “I can’t let the same thing happen again!  I honestly loved him Rissey!  You have no idea how devastating it was to break his heart like that,” the assistant replied in a pained voice as she got into her t-bird and revved the engine.  The old, black sports car started with a few hiccups and shudders, making dread settle in the pit of the young woman’s stomach.  She had gotten this car from her father long ago and had been able to keep it running despite growing repair costs.  Unfortunately even those fixes weren’t going to be enough.  Soon she would have to retire the reliable vehicle and the thought of it getting junked made her skin crawl.

    “You’re the one that left _him_ Melly,” her lifetime friend reminded calmly, making her already stressed emotions reach their breaking point.

    “We’ve had this fucking conversation too many times to count!  What the fuck was I supposed to do?  They were all over him because of his dating someone so much younger than him.  They were ruining a career he had worked hard for because of me,” Melissa snarled, angry tears streaming down her paper white cheeks as she pulled out of her driveway with a squeal of her tires.

    “You could have stayed with him!  You know you don’t leave someone because things get tough!  Did you leave when those pictures of me and Mike got passed around Highschool, making people call me a slut?  No, you called them the liars they were; despite the fact they never believed us!  What about that scandal someone tried to start about Sir Hopkins?  You denied the allegations right by his side, offering some much needed support during a tough situation,” Marissa reasoned, her voice laced with impatience.

    “That was different!  None of those things were my fault!  I couldn’t watch everything he worked for get torn down because of me,” the dark haired woman hissed, leaning her forehead against her steering wheel as she came to a stop light.

    “Jeremy still asks about you Mels...  You don’t have to see the look on his face every time I have to lie to him and tell him you’re with a client when you’re really in your office.  He hasn’t had a date since,” the red haired female sighed, her head shooting up as she saw Tom Hiddleston come walking into the office.

    “And here’s Mr. Hiddleston himself.  Betcha anything he’s here to ask for you again,” the twenty-eight year old chuckled, waving her pink painted nails at the handsome actor.  Sure enough, the tall, lanky male headed right for her; a polite look on his oval face.  His normally short, ginger hair was now brushing his shoulders and dyed a raven black for his upcoming role in Thor: The Dark World, giving him a rather darkly sexy look.

    “Morning Mari, is that Melissa you have on the phone there?” he practically purred, his accented voice doing pleasant things to her insides.  Oh, there were definite perks to working and living in England.

    “Rissa, don’t you dare,” the emotionally exhausted female on the other end begged, sounding as if she was barely holding back sobs.  Just hearing her normally stoic friend like this made guilt shoot through the redhead in a thick wave.  Melissa was unendingly professional when she needed to be.  Only her close friends ever saw what she was like beyond the mask she wore.

    “Sorry Tom, I don’t...,”  the dress wearing assistant began, only to have the phone snatched from her loose grip.  She was about to protest and demand he give it back when he gave one of those heart-melting grins of his and tipped her a wink.  If he wanted her to sink the Titanic, she would have done it without question.

    “I’ll just be a minute luv.  You don’t mind do you?” he rumbled, his voice smooth as butter and very nearly making her knees shake with want.  If this was how he acted when he wanted something, she hoped to see this every day of her life.

    “N-no, go ahead,” she sighed in a dreamy voice, her blue orbs getting a bit doe-eyed as she leaned on her desk to watch him like a drooling teenager.  The lithe actor only chuckled lightly before he pressed the phone to his ear.

    “Melissa, I’ve been trying to get ahold of you.  I’m going to a convention in America and I need a handler.  Luke has more than enough on his hands right now dealing with publicity for this movie so I would be grateful for your help,” he rumbled into the mouthpiece, his accented voice holding a lightly pleading edge that would make most women into a puddle of quivering jello.  With looks like his, it wasn’t hard to get what you wanted.

    Melissa stared at her phone in horror, as if the device itself had betrayed her by allowing his voice to come through loud and clear.  This was the reason she chose to field her contact with Tom through her childhood companion, once she heard him she couldn’t help but agree to whatever he wanted.  He could ask her to jump off London bridge naked and she would do so with a smile on her face.  The man was suave as well as painfully good looking.  It wasn’t hard to figure out why he had a huge mob of loyal fangirls following his every move.  “Tom...,” she began, her voice still just a bit shaky from the conversation she had been having earlier.

    Being reminded of Jeremy honestly hurt her to her very core.  They had been happy together, had been dating quietly for years.  It seemed no one would ever find out about their sorta controversial relationship.  It all changed so rapidly that it still made her head swim to think about.  “Melissa?  Are you crying?  What happened?” came Tom’s immediate, concerned reply, making her affection for the actor swell even more.  He was always so considerate, even to people he had never even met.  He had even made the secretary go home when she had a cold, making sure their boss wasn’t going to reprimand the poor girl.

    “It’s nothing Tom, just forget it.  Why don’t you take Helen?  She has a lot of good reviews from the actors she’s handled,” the suddenly weary brunette sighed as she pulled up to another stop light.  She’d be at the office and she prayed to any God out there that Tom would be gone before she got there.  With everything Rissa had reminded her of, she wasn’t sure if she could emotionally handle seeing the up and coming star.  The way she felt for him came far too close to echoing her feelings for Jeremy and she found herself terrified.

    “I can’t just ignore the fact you sound miserable.  Tell me what’s bothering my favorite girl,” came his soothing, accented purr, making her heart race.  Despite how exhilarated she felt by his mere voice, she also felt even more miserable.  She _needed_ to end this before she got any deeper, before she lost herself entirely.

    Wanting to beg him not to call her that but knowing that would tip him off that something was desperately wrong, the young woman gripped her steering wheel tightly as she swung into the large parking lot.  “It’s really personal Mr. Hiddleston,” she sighed, wincing inwardly at how cold and snappy that response sounded.  The silence that stretched from the other end of the line, only adding to her silent fear that she had finally driven him away.  He had put up with her flighty behavior for years, always telling her she simply did things for him that others did not.

    “You’re quite right Ms. Einsil.  I apologize for my forward behavior as of late.  As for your inquiry about Helen, she is a dear but she simply isn’t you.  You do a lot of small things that really matter after being on set or at a con.  Like making me hot cocoa after being out in near arctic conditions or giving me heated blankets after a long day of panels?  All of those things really add up when you have a schedule like mine,” came his slightly cold reply, making the green and black clad female regret the harshness of her tone.

    “I’m sorry Tom...  I didn’t mean...,” she whispered her voice gaining a watery quality as she leaned her clammy forehead against the leather of the steering wheel.  Then she began to release loud sobs as old heartbreak washed over her anew.

    “Lissey!  Oh sweetie,” came a concerned gasp.  Then the sound of the phone fumbling, followed by blessed silence.

    Grateful for the fact that she didn’t wear make-up, the thirty year old simply let her pain flow out of her.  She was so wrapped up in the near screams ripping from her that she didn’t notice her car door slowly opening.  What she did notice was a pair of lanky arms wrapping around her as a familiar scent filled her nose.  “Shhh, shhhh,” came the soothing rumble of Tom’s voice in her ear as he pet her near ebony hair in a soothing motion.  Instead of pulling away like she knew she should, the overwrought woman simply leaned into the taller male and wept into his shirt.

    This went on for a few more moments before Melissa came to her senses and tried to pull away with an embarrassed noise.  This only resulted in Hiddleston tightening his hold on her as he made a gruff noise deep in his chest.  If she didn’t know any better, she could have sworn he was growling at her.  “You’re not going anywhere in this state luv,” he rumbled before he pulled her from her elderly car.  For a brief moment, her slightly chubby body was pressed against his; making her heart race and heat explode in her lower belly.  Then he was pulling away from her as he was ushering her to the passenger side.

    “I’m going to drive you home.  Give me your keys,” the rather tall man demanded, his blue-green orbs holding a hard steel in them as he held out a hand.

    Melissa could only look up at her long time client and sometimes friend with a rather dumbfounded look.  “Tom, there’s no way I can just ditch work like this!” the brunette protested moving to get to her feet, only to be blocked by the much larger actor.

    “I already told your boss you would be taking the day off.  There is no way you’re in any condition to work,” the frustrated star sighed, his dyed hair giving him an oddly intimidating look.  Normally Tom was the least threatening person in the world, more than likely to be laughed off than taken seriously.  Right now though, the look he was giving her made her want to expose her neck in submission.

    “But...,” the stunned female squeaked, doing her best to ignore the insistent throbbing that was coming from between her legs.  She hated to admit it but maybe the movie star was right.  With the emotional rollercoaster she had been through in just a few minutes, she honestly didn’t feel like going in to do her job.  If she ran into Jeremy today she would break, a realization that killed her libido better than ice water.

    “No ‘buts’ Melissa.  Something happened to cause quite a breakdown and you obviously need time to recover.  Now be a darling and get back in the car,” Hiddleston purred, a muscle in his jaw tensing as he gave her a deadly serious stare.

    Sighing in defeat, the young assistant slowly sat back down in the seat and swung her body to face forward; reaching for the seatbelt and buckling herself in.  Only once the metal tab had snapped in place did Tom look satisfied.  Then he closed her door, moving back to the driver’s side and sliding in.  “Keys,” he reminded, holding out his hand after he had buckled his own seatbelt.  Grimacing, the chagrined female gave the celebrity the mostly empty keyring.  The small object nearly disappeared in his large hands as he closed his fist around it.

    Inserting the keys with a quick motion, Tom turned them to be greeted with the coughing sputters of the dying T-bird.  The struggling engine died out within seconds, causing the frame to shudder as it gave an unhealthy chugging noise.  “Let it sit for a few moments, then try again,” she suggested quietly, her cheeks coloring with embarrassment for the sake of her car.  It may be older than sin but it had never had problems this bad until the last week or so.  She knew it was only going to get worse and one day, ‘Old Sarg’ simply wasn’t going to start for her.  But she just couldn’t get rid of it.  As strange as it sounded, it would be like giving up a part of her family.

    “Why don’t you get a new car?  From the sounds of it, it won’t be long until this car simply gives up,” Tom asked, echoing her fears and causing her sorrow of before to come back in an unwelcome rush.

    “It... it belonged to my father.  It was the car that got my mom to start dating him.  Its been a faithful vehicle for many years, it deserves more than to just be thrown away,” she replied in a quiet voice, tears pricking her eyes once more.  Silence stretched between them for an eternity before the towering male reached forward and tried the engine once more.

    Thankfully the stubborn thing came to life with a roar, allowing the now awkward looking star to pull out of the parking lot and into the street.  “I’m sorry for what I said about your car,” he whispered, his troubled eyes fixed on the road as he drove.  He had only been to her house on a handful of occasions but he remembered the way flawlessly.

    “No, its ancient and really does need to be replaced.  I suppose I’m just being silly but the thought of this car getting crushed to a cube...,” she trailed off with a shudder.  The achingly handsome man to her left only nodded once, looking entirely sympathetic.

    “Is that what’s been bothering you?” he asked in a soft voice, the things his accent was doing to her not helping the situation.

    “Partly.  A lot of it has to do with an old relationship and how it ended before either of us were ready.  I got reminded of it today during a conversation with Rissa,” the defeated female sighed, watching the houses pass by as they neared her modest home.  It was only a matter of time before Tom found out about her past anyway as there were some tabloids out there that refused to let this go.

    “You must have loved him very much for the mention of him to elicit this reaction,” he replied in a soft voice as he turned into her short driveway.  Then he was turning off the engine and opening her door, leading her to her door and unlocking it himself.

    “In ya get,” he urged, his eyes full of guilt and deep worry as he ushered her in the door.

    As soon as the door shut, an orange bullet shot toward them from the bedroom; nearly bowling a giggling Melissa over.  Wagging his stubby tail, the over-excited Corgi turned his blue gaze to the darkly dressed visitor and gave him his very best dopey dog grin.  “Loki, I was only gone for fifteen minutes,” sighed the amused female as she shoved the year old dog off herself.  She had gotten the puppy in an effort to give herself a companion and only succeeded in buying herself a bundle of furry trouble.  Much like his namesake, the cheerful canine had a knack for getting into things he shouldn’t and looking entirely too cute afterward to stay mad at.

    Tom chuckled warmly from beside her reminding her of his presence.  She hadn’t had Loki the last time he had been here and found herself blushing at the fact she had been caught out as a fangirl.  She remembered the first time she had seen the Norse God of Mischief, a role of his that would turn out to be the one she felt the most drawn to.  He had been fresh from doing a scene for ‘Thor’ when they had been introduced so he had been in full costume and was still slightly in character, merely seeing him in that armor very nearly made her faint right then and there.  Just remembering the look he had given her still made her body flush with heat.  “Go sit down, I’ll make you some tea,” the star offered, smiling at the grinning canine.

    In those few moments of eye contact, it almost seemed like a silent communication passed between the two; the energetic puppy going oddly still as his ears perked forward and his mouth closed.  Then the stubby dog was bounding off into the living room, giving her an expectant look as he stopped by the doorway.  Chuckling at her pet, Melissa just shrugged before following him into the large room and throwing herself on the huge, comfy couch.  It was only moments later that her nearly forgotten guest joined her and offered her a cup of steaming camomile tea.  Not normally fond of the drink, only really keeping it because it seemed to be some sort of law in England, the calmed woman took the cup with as grateful a smile as she could muster.  “The con starts in July on the 28th, we will be leaving a few days beforehand and be staying a couple days after.  It would mean the world to me to have a friendly face there,” he pleaded just as she took a sip, nearly making her spit the hot beverage.

    Coughing raggedly and desperately trying to catch her breath as her eyes watered, the shocked female could only gasp like a landed fish as she stared up at the celebrity seated next to her.  “T-tom... I...,” she began, her voice slightly rough and strained due to the tea she had inhaled.

    “Please Lisey.  Don’t make me go with someone I barely know,” he pleaded, his voice wavering as he threw in a pouty lip for good measure.  Groaning at the blatant manipulation, the resigned female ran a hand over her pale face as she sighed.

    “When do we go?” she groaned, only feeling slightly better when the dark haired actor wrapped her in a tight hug and thanked her profusely.  Somewhere, deep down, she just knew she was going to regret doing this.


	2. Trans-Atlantic Terror

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: This story is a bit of a risk for me as in the beginning it’s going to seem like any other Tom Hiddleston fic. It’s going to be a slow build to construct the world. Don’t worry, things will get weird a lot later if you can hang in there. (I really wanna avoid both trouble and spoilers.) Also, holy crap this exploded! o.o;; *shy wave to all the readers*

If there was one thing she hated more than packing, it was flying.  Ever since she was a small child, she had an irrational fear of heights; making her move to England rather harrowing.  After her father had passed away, Melissa simply didn’t want to live in America anymore and had her job transferred to an agency in Britain.  She had then used some of her large inheritance to have her father’s car shipped over, the only thing she had bothered to take to remind her of her family.  Having pictures would be too painful and would remind her too much of the many tragedies that had fallen in her life.  At one point she had even wondered if her bloodline was cursed.  Her phone buzzing in her pocket brought her out of her reminiscing and back to her current problem, Tom was waiting downstairs and she had to get on a plane with him.

Making a face, the nervous female picked up a corgi plush that wore a green scarf and packed the item deep under her clothes in her large duffel bag.  Loki was with Marissa while she was gone and she mostly had the plush to help her sleep.  In the short time she had him, the puppy had almost become a huge part of her heart.  Everytime she had to travel with Tom or one of her other clients, she had taken the plush in secret.  Only a few of them actually knew about her small comforting device and the man waiting outside her house certainly wasn’t one of them.  “Alright Melissa, you packed everything you need.  Let’s go downstairs and let Mr. Sex down there know we’re okay,” she whispered to herself, wishing that she could just carry her plush like when she flew with Mr. Hopkins.

Just the thought of going into the airport filled her with panic and the brunette did her best to reign in her fears.  The last time she had been on a plane, she had to take tranquilizers just to get through it.  She didn’t have this luxury with Tom since she made an effort to keep such things from him.  She had only had a handful of couple hour flights with him and so far she had been able to just put in some headphones and focus on music.  This would be a twelve hour flight at the least, she had no idea how she would make it through this without losing her shit.  How would he react to hearing she was so afraid of something considered so safe?  No, she wouldn’t be able to withstand the embarrassment.

Squaring her shoulders; Melissa grabbed her duffel, her purse and a light jacket.  While LA was warm, England was still quite cold and she needed to protect herself from the elements a bit.  Giving her room once last once over, the jittery assistant headed downstairs as her phone went off in her pocket once more.  “Yeah, yeah keep your shirt on Hiddleston,” she grumbled, graced with the image of said man shirtless.  Blushing at this thought and inwardly scolding herself, the dark haired woman grabbed her keys before swinging open her door.  There, right outside, was a very concerned looking Tom Hiddleston.

The infamous english weather had dampened his long, dark curls, giving him an even sleeker look than before as his eyes scanned her for possible injury.  “Are you okay?  You weren’t answering your phone,” the too handsome male asked, his brow furrowing as he came into the entryway.  His green-blue eyes swirled as he studied her face and she had a few breathless moments where her anxiety spiked.  He was an actor, a method actor at that!  Someone like him was bound to be able to read her easily.  Jeremy had been able to do it even before they had gotten into a relationship and she found herself holding her breath as his gaze roamed her face.

“You’re pale...  Lissa, you look utterly terrified,” he whispered, the concern in his expression deepening as he tipped his luggage up and released it to cup her face in his hands.  The coldness of his flesh caused a small squeal of shock from Melissa, breaking the tension like a soap bubble and drawing a chuckle from them both.

“I’m just a bit nervous Tom, you know that,” she assured lightly despite her heart pounding in her ears and a cold sweat breaking out over her forehead.  Of course, none of this was lost on the movie star.

Green became much more dominant as he pulled her into a tight hug.  “You’ve never been this scared of flying with me before.  Please tell me what’s going on,” he whispered, nuzzling the top of her head in a way that made heat flush in her body.

“It’s nothing Tom, really, I’ll be fine,” the suit wearing female sighed, the shakiness in her voice betraying the terror singing through her veins at the moment.

Suddenly he was pulling away from her to give her a rather severe glance, the blue in his eyes nearly gone as he ran a hand through his soaked hair.  “Don’t lie to me Lisey.  You have worked with me long enough to know that not many can get away with it and I simply won’t accept such behavior from you,” he hissed, his voice a deep growl covered in steel that both made her knees knock and her womb pulse.

“I... I’m sorry Tom.  It just isn’t something I discuss with a lot of people,” she whispered, feeling a bit like a scolded child and blushing deeply.

“You could have just told me that.  I’m concerned but I’m not going to pry into your privacy.  Please just tell me things like that instead of lying alright?” he requested before grabbing her duffel and his bag and heading out into the slight drizzle.

Melissa could only stare after him, feeling a bit contrite and just a smidge ridiculous.  Why had she thought even the smallest lie would fly with this man after how long she had worked with him?  She had seen him easily pick up on the smallest things with others and could only chalk her inattention to this to her severe terror.  Turning off the light, the young woman grabbed an umbrella before stepping out into the famous english rain.  Tom was waiting under the small overhang over her door, a smile back on his pale face despite the small altercation earlier.  Unable to help but return the smile, the brunette opened her umbrella and offered the much taller man a spot under it.  “Maybe this would go better if you held it,” she suggested, looking up at him with amusement in her brown eyes.  She only came up to just under his pectorals and he would have had to bend over quite far just to get under.

Smirking in amusement, the dark haired star bent to grab the handle of the umbrella.  Then he was opening it and holding it over them both, waiting for her to take the first step.  “I could take my own bag,” she tried, knowing it would do no good.  Tom only raised his brow in response, amusement clear in his once again blue-green eyes.  The look on his face told her all she needed to know and her gray clad shoulders slumped in resignation.

“Yeah, alright.  Let’s get going,” she grumbled, moving down the steps with the actor close by her side.

She had managed to keep her shit together so far, only displaying the nervousness she usually did when she flew with him.  Once she was at the actual gate, however, she came very close to fainting.  Twelve hours in the air, the mere thought of it made her sway slightly in place.  Tom, who was right by her side, only gave her a worried glance as they chose their seats.  A large pair of sunglasses graced his face in a useless attempt to disguise him.  Though, for some reason, no one had bothered to approach them; something she was grateful for at the moment.  She had to use this time before boarding the plane to gather her courage and try to get a handle on her growing panic.

When they sat, she stared straight ahead; clasping her hands tightly in her lap as she took long, slow breaths.  A hand covering hers startled her and she looked up to see Tom giving her a look full of concern and curiosity.  His brow was furrowed as he studied her closely.  His lips were pursed and she could practically see the wheels turning in his head.  When the realization came, it was all over his handsome face and he was opening his mouth to say something.  Thankfully they called for first class boarding before he could get it out and they were on their feet and moving.  Still, even as they were rushed into the plane, she felt his eyes on the back of her head.

She put her carry-on in the overhead bin first, opting to hold her purse in her lap.  Then she was moving to the window as specified by her ticket.  She was just about to sit down when she felt a grip on her upper arm.  Looking up, sea green eyes met hers and she saw the taller actor looking very torn.  He looked like he half wanted to offer her his seat and half wanted to let her take the window so he could shield her from the aisle.  It seemed like being a gentleman was catching up with him and she very nearly giggled at him despite her growing terror.  It was honestly kind of sweet and she patted the hand on her upper arm.  “I’ll take the window seat like usual Tom.  I can always close the shade once we’re in the air,” the young assistant offered, making the decision for him.

Tom only gave her a slightly embarrassed smile before he released her arm to allow her to take her seat.  Once the twenty-eight year old had settled, the dark haired actor took his own seat and grabbed one of her hands in his.  “You’re afraid to fly aren’t you?  It isn’t just a normal nervousness,” he murmured as the other passengers began to crowd into the plane.  Feeling a bit ashamed, Melissa pulled her hand from his and focused her eyes on her lap.

“It’s not flying, it’s heights.  I’m petrified of heights.  I can’t even drive across a suspension bridge without a panic attack,” she replied quietly, watching her fingers fist in the black suit pants she wore.  Even now she could feel the familiar cold feeling in the pit of her stomach as her heart sped up in her chest.

Suddenly his hand was grabbing hers again, giving the appendage a sharp tug  as he pulled it into his lap.  Then he was massaging her palm gently, his blue-green eyes completely fixed on her.  “Take a deep breath and let it out slowly for me darling,” he urged quietly as the mob of people coming in jostled eachother to get in their seats.  Yet, despite all the noise and frustrated sighing, Lissa found all of it fading away into the background as she did what he said.  Slowly, her heart began to slow down and she felt a bit more grounded; albeit a bit ridiculous.  She was here to do a job, not be coddled like a child.

“Thank you,” she whispered in a shame filled voice, pulling from his grip to rummage in her purse.  Soon she was bringing out a small MP3 player and a pair of overhead headphones.

Before she could put the cushioned cups over her ears, she felt a staying hand on her wrist.  “Keep that off for a bit would you luv?  I feel like you’re trying to run away from me,” he half teased, some of his dyed locks falling into his shining eyes.  Just hearing that made guilt shoot through her due to the fact that was what she was trying to do.  Right now Lissa wanted to hide, to get away from the fact that he knew such an embarrassing secret about her now.  She didn’t want special treatment or to be treated like a kid that was scared of a thunderstorm and some part of her was apprehensive that Tom would start doing just that.

“Sorry, I’m just a bit ashamed that you had to find this out.  I don’t want you to feel as if you have to go out of your way to offer me comfort or anything.  I am here to do a job, not have my fears soothed,” she responded smoothly, her professional veneer firmly in place.  All of that very nearly crumbled at the half amused, half hurt look the star gave her.  Then he was taking both her hands in his as the expression on his pale face grew very serious.

“You’ve been acting strange for the past few days, almost as if you’re trying to keep a professional wall up between us,” the pale actor sighed as the last stragglers trailed in and took their seats.

“I’ve always acted in a professional decorum around you,” the brunette responded in a slightly offended tone.

“Yes but never this cold or distant.  You’ve almost treated me like a friend as well as a client.  I’m used to having conversations with you and feeling a sense of camaraderie.  Now it feels like I’m with anyone else from the agency.  Have I done something wrong?” Tom elaborated, his tone soft and almost broken sounding.

Melissa could only inwardly sigh as she cursed her hang-ups because of what happened with Jeremy.  While she was at it, she also cursed Marissa for bringing up a long dead past.  There was no benefit to bringing up what happened and she had to do her best to let it go for Tom’s sake.  “No, no it’s not you Tom.  I’ve had a lot on my mind lately,” she replied in a weary voice, the popping of the intercom nearly making her jump out of her skin.

“Please make sure your seatbelts are buckled and your seats are in the upright position.  We will be taking off momentarily,” came a staticy, almost bored sounding voice.  Just hearing that made her need to keep the actor beside her at some sort of platonic distance disappear for her outright terror of earlier.

A warm, large hand on her face turned her back to look at the lithe star and she found herself lost in the greens and blues of his eyes.  “Good girl, keep your focus on me.  Take a few deep breaths,” he suggested gently, smiling when she did just that.

“Now, tell me a bit about your childhood.  We’ve known eachother for a while now and you know everything about me while I know very little about you,” he cajoled, the blue in his eyes sparkling as she gave a small, breathless giggle.

“There’s not much to tell really.  My parents met when they were teens, typical highschool romance.  He started his own business as a publishing company and he got rich very quickly, allowing my mom and him to get married,” she started, a bit shaky at first but getting more steady as she began to focus on her story instead of her surroundings.  She was so wrapped up in it, she never noticed the plane shuddering to a start and moving down the runway.

She got as far as a story about her and her sister picking on her younger brother when she suddenly came to the realization they were in the air.  A cold panic filled her and she felt the sensation of the floor dropping away from her.  Her steady breathing began to speed up with downright panic as she turned her earthy gaze to the still open shade.  Tom, bless his soul, reached over and closed it before she could even clearly see how high they were.  Then he was using the same hand to turn her head back to face him, a calm, yet firm look on his oval face.  “None of that now.  You were doing so good.  Go on, what did Kelly do with the shaving cream,” he urged, trying to bring her focus back to her earlier tale.  Giving him a nervous smile, she continued with small anecdotes and soon forgot where she was once more.

“After Kevin died, my father and mother were never the same.  I was the only child left and mom never recovered from that fact.  She died soon after, leaving just my father.  He tried to stay strong for my sake but being without my mother was hard for him.  It was as if he was missing a vital piece of himself.  It wasn’t too long after that he followed her,” she murmured, letting out a small yawn as she finished her story.  She didn’t really want to go into so much detail about her life but Tom had insisted and it had proven to be a good distraction.

The darkly dressed actor only looked down at her, sympathy and sorrow swimming in his expressive eyes.  “To be so young and to go through so much,” he murmured quietly, his pale brow furrowed as he seemed to be thinking on something.  Then he was lifting the armrest between them and tugging her against his side.  Blushing, Lissa tried to pull out of his hold only to have him press a gentle kiss on her forehead.

“It’s late Lisey.  Get some sleep,” he urged, his arm a tight band of steel that held her against his warm body.

Licking her dry lips as her heart raced in her throat, the brunette found herself taking in his scent as much as she didn’t want to.  That wonderful, almost hypnotizing scent that was purely Thomas Hiddleston.  If the stores ever found out how to make and bottle this smell, they wouldn’t have to do any further research on pheromones.  The stores selling it would probably have to have armed guards just to keep the mob of women in line and that was just the problem.  The man looked and smelled too wonderful for any red blooded female to resist, including her.  As much as she still missed Jeremy, Melissa felt oddly drawn to Tom; as if he was using some invisible line to reel her in.

Shaking herself from these thoughts; the assistant yawned once more, to her companion’s amusement.  “Sleep luv.  I’ll keep you safe,” he joked, some part of him sounding very serious.  Giggling a bit in response, the exhausted handler nestled into his defined chest and allowed herself to drift off.  Once she was out, the actor holding her began to pet her nearly black hair as a thoughtful look came on his handsome face.  Green briefly became dominant in his eyes as he tenderly brushed a strand of hair out of her face.

“Sleep and dream of happy things,” he whispered, a slight chill coming into the air that left as soon as it came.  Then he was leaning back, keeping a watchful eye on the aisle as the female in his arms slumbered.


	3. Con Woes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Glad to know you’re all still there! Not used to this many readers coming in at once. Please don’t hesitate to tell me if I’m doing something wrong! I don’t bite, I promise!

“You never did tell me why you were avoiding me,” came that damned kicked puppy voice that was very nearly her downfall.

“We managed to get you in without anyone seeing you, at least there’s that,” Lissa replied, ignoring what he had said entirely.  If she had her way, Tom would never find out how she really felt about him.  How he made her heart flutter pleasantly every time he called her ‘luv’ or ‘darling’, how much she wished they could be so much more than platonic pet names.  She would resist this magnetic pull between them every time they were alone together, ignore just how much she wanted to straddle his muscled lap and inhale that intoxicating scent.  He smelled like an open field on a brisk winter’s day during a thunderstorm and just thinking about it made her junction pulse with want.

She had learned a hard lesson with Jeremy.  Though the circumstances were much different, the results would be no less explosive.  Tom’s fans were legendary for how rabid they were and just how vitriolically they reacted to any female on his arm.  If she dared to allow herself to fall for him in earnest, there was no doubt she would shatter his rising career.  A lot of his appeal came from the fact he was single and if he got a girlfriend, it would feel like a huge betrayal to the women who dogged his every move.  There was also the fact that her name was still attached to the ‘scandal’ with Jeremy.  Yet, despite knowing all of this, she still felt a strong pull to just give in and confess.  “We have a day before the convention opens so I shouldn’t be so surprised you weren’t seen,” the young assistant continued, her steady voice giving away none of her inner turmoil.

“Lisey...,” came a gentle but insistent baritone, the sound of springs creaking coming from the bed as he shifted.

“It looks like you have a pretty easy schedule anyway.  You only appear once tomorrow and that’s your big reveal as ‘Loki’.  The next day is fairly light too, only a few autograph sessions and a panel.  The last day you have two panels as well as closing ceremonies.  All in all it looks a lot easier than any shoot I’ve been to,” the brunette declared, flicking through the schedule on her handy tablet.  A large hand on her shoulder effectively stopped her spiel and she found her nostrils filling with that mouth-watering scent.  Gentle, but firm fingers tugged the electronic device out of her loosening hands while his free hand tipped her chin up so she would look at him.

“Do you really think I haven’t noticed how you’ll avoid me sometimes?  I feel your absence keenly!  Please, tell me what’s going on.  Do you not like my company?  Because you seem to get along with me just fine.  Darling, I want to know why you feel the need to hide from me some times and not others so I can rectify whatever the problem is,” he whispered in an urgent tone, worry glittering in his green-blue eyes.  His feathery, dyed hair hung slightly in his face and the suit wearing woman had to fight the terrific urge to brush it behind his ear.

“Tom, it’s nothing you did,” she replied, the words feeling like a slight lie.  After all, her disappearances had happened every time he had gotten a new girlfriend.  A pattern the actor would probably notice if he stopped to think about it.  He was smart on top of being highly empathic, it was a wonder he hadn’t put the pieces together already.  In fact it seemed like the wheels were turning right now, to her extreme horror.

“No, that doesn’t sound right to me.  There almost seemed to be a pattern, always seeming to happen when...,” the taller male trailed off, realization as well as a bit of shock coming into his blueish green eyes.  The green slowly became more prominent as a grin curled his lips and a soft, almost tender expression blossomed on his handsome face.

“Tom, don’t get any ideas now!  It’s not what you think!” the panicking assistant protested, backing away from him and avoiding his knowing eyes.

“Oh, I think it is,” he rumbled, his voice full of satisfaction as he rapidly closed the distance to take her in his arms.

“Disappearing whenever I have a new girlfriend, did you really think you could go much longer without me figuring it out?  I need to hear it from you Melissa.  Tell me what I already know,” the dark haired star urged, a heat in his almost green eyes as he held her tight against him.

Licking her dry lips, the twenty-eight year old felt like a rabbit caught in a  snare and did her best to wriggle out of the thespian’s tight grip.  “This is highly inappropriate,” she squeaked out in a last ditch effort to maintain her professional veneer.  She knew she was caught, she knew it was useless but she couldn’t let herself go down without a fight of some sort.  Even if she did confess like he wanted, it wouldn’t change the fact that she couldn’t have him.  Her feelings simply weren’t allowed to factor into this situation.

“Do I really look like I care?  Don’t try to lie to me now.  Why have you been avoiding me?” husked his baritone as the green in his eyes became almost impossibly bright, almost seeming to glow.

“I... Please, don’t make me do this!  It won’t change anything!” Lissa pleaded, tears rimming her eyes as her panic rose to a fever pitch.  The actor only greeted her plea with an apologetic but firm expression.

Knowing she was caught, the young woman sighed deeply as she tried to gain control over her desperate fear.  “I have... God this sounds so juvenile!  I have a crush on you,” she hissed, her body shaking as she turned her head to avoid the heat of his eyes.  It certainly didn’t help that silence followed her declaration, a silence so profound that it seemed Tom had stopped breathing.  All at once he was far too close and his heat on her skin was too much to bear.  With a sudden burst of energy, Melissa struggled to get away from the man that had haunted many a dream; only to feel his arms tighten around her.

“Melissa,” came a deep rumble that sounded like it came straight from his chest.  Immediately her brown eyes shot up to meet his, the green in his eyes taking her breath away.  She had never seen such an intense look on his face and she felt her knees start to shake.

Time seemed to stretch between the pair, neither of them daring to breath as the moment seemed to last an eternity.  Then his soft lips were crashing down on hers in a possessive, passionate kiss that held the heady taste of his want.  For a few moments, it was if she had tasted heaven.  The moment their breaths mingled, it felt like their very souls had connected and, if the tightening of his hands on her back was any indication, Tom felt it too.  The taller, sleek male released a satisfied rumble as his head tilted to deepen the kiss, earning a soft moan from Lissa as her black clad arms came up to wrap around his muscled neck.  Then she saw a flash of Jeremy’s face before her eyes and she broke the kiss as she tore herself out of his arms and scampered to the other side of the room.

Her chest heaved as she stared at her client with an almost scared look on her pale face.  The dark haired star still stood in place, his arms wrapped around a phantom waist as a confused look came into his nearly jade green eyes.  “I can’t.   _ We _ can’t,” she whispered, her heart fluttering painfully within her chest.  Every part of her wanted to give in, to just let whatever was going on between them happen.  For those few moments the kiss had lasted, it had felt more right than anything in her life ever had and it was taking every shred of willpower within her not to continue what he had started.

“Why,” came a throaty rasped as his arms slowly lowered to his sides.  Thankfully he kept his distance but the steely look in his eyes told her that her explanation had better be good.

“Can we  _ not _ do this right now, please?” the flustered, shaking female pleaded; her breath coming in sharp gasps due to the conflict within her.  Tom only leveled her with a Loki worthy glare and she could swear the temperature in the room had dropped just slightly.  Chalking this up to the tense feeling in the room, Lissa licked her dry lips as she frantically sifted through what she could tell him in her mind.

“I... I have a reputation of sorts, not to mention my ex and I are still kinda hung up on eachother.  I can’t get in a relationship right now, probably not ever.  Now can we please drop this and do our jobs?” the torn handler begged, two tears rolling down her pale cheeks.  The taller male only narrowed his eyes slightly before an outright devious grin curled his lips briefly.  It was so quick, she wondered if she was seeing things.

“You’re right Melissa, we can always discuss this at some other time.  For now, why don’t we have some lunch brought up to us,” he suggested, his pale face once again holding a pleasant grin.  The brunette gave him a suspicious glance before she picked up the hotel phone to call room service.  While she was placing her order, Tom got a thoughtful look on his pale face.

Soon the pair was eating quietly, Lissa doing her best to avoid the star’s intense gaze.  The heat of his eyes on her skin caused a familiar, sweet ache to pulse in her core despite her desperate want to not feel anything at this moment.  She needed to get a hold of herself, otherwise she would end up throwing away all her intentions as well as a past with a man she had dearly treasured.  It has been years since she had last seen Jeremy, let alone actually been in a relationship with him and yet she still felt just as strongly.  So on top of feeling like she would bring negative attention to the rising star, she felt it wouldn’t be fair to start a relationship while part of her heart still belonged to someone else.  “You said we had the rest of today to ourselves, correct?” came a deep baritone, making her jump slightly in surprise.

Grabbing her glass of water and taking a sip to wet her dry throat, Lissa leveled a suspicious glance at the man across the table from her.  She hadn’t forgotten the smile she thought she had seen earlier and immediately found herself on guard.  “Yes, why do you ask?” she asked, her voice cautious as she watched him closely.  The taller male only nodded, taking a bite of steak before taking a sip of his tea.

“What would you say to a quick nap before a walk around town?” he suggested, his blue-green eyes watching for her reaction.  He wasn’t disappointed.

Melissa had been in the middle of taking another drink of water when he made his suggestion and very nearly spat it out from shock.  Then she was coughing raggedly due to the fact that she had inhaled some of that, causing a look of concern to come over the dark haired star’s face.  He was up and heading behind her, rubbing her back soothingly as she continued to hack helplessly.  “Are you...*cough cough* fucking kidding me?!” she wheezed out, tears of pain rolling down her eyes as she managed to speak between coughs.  Then she blushed as she realized she had sworn in front of her client.  Feelings or not, she still had a job to do here and she had just seriously breached professionalism.

Tom looked just as shocked as she felt, then a look of amusement bloomed on his oval face.  “Not at all!  I have a few things to help disguise me and I would love to walk around town again,” he responded, a smile on his face despite the pleading look in his almost turquoise eyes.  His scent hit her nose again and her body betrayed her with a pleasurable throb between her thighs, making her lose her appetite.

“I don’t think that would be a good idea.  Your appearance here is supposed to be a secret and I don’t think over-sized sunglasses make an appropriate disguise,” the brunette sighed, shoving her hamburger away.  The look on the actor’s face immediately made her regret her words.  The man looked like his beloved pet had just died he looked so depressed.  His shoulders even sagged and you could almost taste his disappointment in the air.  In all honesty, she couldn’t bare to see him like this and sighed as she decided to compromise.  She only hoped she wouldn’t come to regret this.

“Maybe if we wait a few hours for dark, we could use that to our advantage but I must tell you that I don’t think we should go too far from the hotel in case we need to escape quickly.  Besides, we can’t take the chance of a taxi or bus driver recognizing you.  I’m just worried about that hair of yours.  With your hair dyed and grown out like that, any fangirl is bound to recognize you,” she sighed, smiling as his spirits buoyed.  He even graced her with one of his biggest, brightest smiles before squeezing her shoulder.

“Let me worry about the disguise.  I also agree with your terms, they’re quite amiable,” he responded, almost looking like a child on Christmas morning.  Just seeing the grin that most women swooned over melted her heart and Melissa couldn’t help but return it.

“Well we have a few hours to kill, what do you want to do til then?” he continued, making his way over to his bed to sit down.  Lissa only rolled her eyes as she smiled.

“What do we usually do Tom?  We find a channel with the worst cartoons or movies and we make fun of them,” the brunette responded, not daring to let her guard down despite the relaxed tone of her voice.  She had a feeling the star was plotting something because of her confession earlier and felt a warm bloom of happiness despite herself.  Shaking herself free of her thoughts, the assistant moved to her own bed before she heard a throat clearing.

“Why don’t you come cuddle with me luv?” he requested, giving her his best puppy eyes.  Something he knew very well would sway her decision.  The terrible thing was, this wouldn’t be the first time they had cuddled either.  Whenever Tom had a bad day, or had to act out a distressing scene; she would curl up beside him and basically act as a human teddy bear.  She simply hadn’t been able to deny him even the smallest form of comfort.

Slumping in defeat, Melissa crawled onto the bed and snuggled up against the taller male.  A much as she just wanted to lay on her back with a few inches between them, she knew Tom would never accept that; especially when she had cuddled closely with him before.  As soon as her head met his shirt covered pecs, one of his arms wrapped around her to keep her there; drawing an unconscious gasp from her lips.  This proved to be the worst thing she could have done as she inadvertently filled her nostrils with the scent she found irresistible.  Taking another, shaky breath, the brunette turned her attention to the TV and began to flip through the channels.

A gentle hand on her shoulder startled her awake and the dazed female sat up slowly, wondering when she had fallen asleep.  “Did you sleep well darling?” came a soft rumble by her ear, making a warm tingle settle in her core.  Taking a deep breath to quench the embers within her, the determined handler gave the actor hovering over her a small smile.

“Yeah, I guess I’m a bit jetlagged,” she yawned, sitting up slowly as she opened her eyes.  Tom’s hand moved from her shoulder to her upper back, giving her some support in case she was still tired.

Stretching languidly, the groggy twenty-eight year old swung her legs over her bed and got to her feet.  “I’ll make you some tea to help wake you up.  I found the perfect place to go tonight,” he offered, making her remember their discussion with a cold wash of dread.  Before she could even voice her hesitations, the actor was seating her and setting a kettle to boil.

“Give me a few moments luv, I’m going to go put on my disguise,” purred his baritone by her ear before he moved to grab a small, black bag from his large, wheeled suitcase.  With a wink to her, the lithe male went into their shared bathroom and shut the door.

Eyeing the closed door suspiciously, Lissa shifted her focus on the steaming teapot; being sure to take it off the heat when it began to whistle.  She really, truly didn’t like tea one little bit and would have honestly preferred a cup of hot cocoa to start her day.  Yet she would never be able to get the gumption to tell Tom just how much the beverage tasted like overly boiled grass and decided to just gulp it down as soon as he served it.  Then, as if her thoughts had summoned him, the tall movie star stepped out of the bathroom.  Instead of the dark locks that had graced his head before, he now appeared to be wearing a very good wig that looked like his normal hairstyle.  In fact, the hairpiece almost looked real, making her wonder if he had gotten it from a friend in make-up.  As her eyes travelled down from his ginger curls, she saw he was dressed in all black; perfect attire for avoiding notice on a dark night.  “How do I look Lisey?” he purred, gesturing to the clothing that hugged the lines of his body deliciously.

In fact, she found her eyes traveling to his jeans clad crotch and very nearly gasping at what she saw.  A flush of heat and mortification raced through her body as she saw the outline of what fangirls had dubbed the ‘Hiddlesconda’.  From what she saw, the name wasn’t an exaggeration.  It was a wonder it hadn’t made more appearances in photos.  “Y-you look great,” she stammered, averting her eyes as quickly as she could as a blush colored her cheeks.  As if he knew she had been staring, the handsome actor chuckled as he came close and offered his midnight clad arm.

“Shall we?” husked his smooth voice, his accent doing terrible things to all her intentions to keep their relationship platonic.  His greenish-blue eyes danced with mischief as he wound her hand over his bicep and lead her out into the hall.  What she didn’t know was that his intentions for her and their relationship were anything but platonic.  The moment she had confessed her feelings and they had shared that kiss, he had vowed to to make her his and that he would be using all the charm at his disposal to do so.


	4. A Night Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Well, I must say I’m flattered by the attention this has been getting! Welcome readers, new and old!

It was loud!  It was crowded!  She couldn’t see through the smoke generated by the fog machine, let alone low pulsing lights in sheer darkness.  The only time there was any lights was when an array of lasers would shot into the air.  It was perfect for getting lost in and Tom fit in like he was one of the drugged out masses.  Men and women were dressed in UV reactive clothes of many colors, glow sticks hanging off several points of their body and they were too busy grinding against eachother to notice their surroundings.  Yes, this was the perfect environment to be ignored, it was just too bad that Lissa couldn’t stand clubs.

The miserable assistant sat at a hidden booth, far enough from the noise to avoid a headache while still able to keep an eye on her over enthusiastic charge.  Hiddleston, of course, looked like he was having the time of his life.  He wore a large grin on his handsome face as he danced with the best of them.  Then he was swinging to face her, beckoning her to join him excitedly.  Immediately she shook her head vehemently, signaling that she was just fine far away from the sweaty crush of bodies.  She would be dealing with more than enough of them come tomorrow afternoon.  Shuddering at the thought, she took a deep drink of her root beer.  As much as Tom had insisted, she absolutely refused to get trashed the night before a job.  “Are you going to sit in the dark all night?” came a half teasing baritone in her ear, nearly making her jump out of her skin.

Looking to her right, she saw it was only her wayward client returning from the dance floor.  The reddish blonde curls of his wig stuck to his forehead, making her seriously praise the skill of the maker.  If she didn’t know any better, she would have thought that was his actual hair.  All of a sudden she felt the oddest urge to give it a tug to see if it would come off.  “That was my intention,” the t-shirt and jeans wearing female replied with a grimace.  They had only gotten a few steps down the hotel hall when they had both realized she was way too over dressed to fit in and she had to dig out her last resort wear, clothing she wouldn’t wear unless she had nothing left.  To her embarrassment, her casual wear came down to a lot of ‘Loki’ fanwear.  Right now a side view of his horned helm graced her torso, making her feel more self conscious than her suit would have.

“I didn’t just bring you to look pretty.  I want to have a good time with you.  Please, come out with me for at least one song,” the British actor cajoled, looking down at her with the biggest puppy eyes she had seen yet.

Looking away so the sad look in his blue-green eyes wouldn’t sway her, the brunette simply fiddled with her mostly empty glass.  “I don’t know.  I’m not all that comfortable being in such a tight crowd, let alone the type of ‘dancing’ they’re doing.  It looks more like vertical sex than anything else,” she responding, gesturing to the grinding couples that slithered and squirmed all over eachother.  Some even switched partners after songs, making her even more reluctant to join the fray.  Knowing her luck, it would only take one song switch before she was separated from Tom.

As if sensing her thoughts, all the joy fled from the star’s face for a deadly serious expression.  Then he was grabbing her hand and pulling her to her feet, tugging her tight against him as his splayed a hand in her lower back.  The look he gave her was so severe that she instantly regretted her words, wishing she could simply dissolve out of his tight grip and disappear into the floor.  She opened her mouth to apologize when she was stopped by a harsh exhale.  “I wouldn’t let anyone take you from me or even get near you.  You’re perfectly safe with me,” he whispered, a hard steel to his words that she had only heard from his portrayal of the Trickster Prince.  Then he was ushering her onto the dance floor, enveloping her smaller body in his strong arms.

“Tom...,” she began, giving an unsure look to the no doubt high crowd around them.  Thankfully most of them were too blissed out to even pay them any mind.

“Shhh, just relax and have a good time with me,” he begged in a slightly gruff voice as his hips began to undulated in a lewd manner.  Swallowing her nerves, Melissa took a deep breath and simply let the music flow through her body.

She forgot everything around her, even the man sensually running his hands up and down her sides.  All she felt was the music moving her limbs, swaying her hips.  She was so lost in the strange feeling that the handler didn’t even realize she was sliding along Tom’s body in a rather sexual manner.  Her hips twisted in small circles, rubbing her junction against his; drawing low growls from the man holding her.  A not too gentle nip to her neck brought her back to reality with a snap and she jumped back out of her companion’s arms.  Chest heaving as she panted harshly, Melissa brushed a strand of her straight brown hair behind her ear as she began to back away.  “I... I’m sorry.  I...  I’ll meet you back in the hotel,” she breathed in a flustered voice before simply running away.  She never saw the downright predatory look the thespian gave her as she retreated.

Lissa shut the door with a shuddery sigh, rubbing the back of her neck as she played over the compromising position of their bodies again and again.  The look Hiddleston had given her certainly hadn’t helped.  He was looking at her like a starved man seeing a bottomless banquet that was being offered for free.  Doing her best to shake off the too pleasant tingling between her legs, Lissa took another deep breath before gathering her pajamas and heading to their shared bathroom.  At least this room had a lock and she would have an easy excuse for why she was hiding from him once again.  Some part of her railed at her for not going back there and taking what was blatantly being offered to her.  That part hated her for acting like what she considered to be an adult.  Even if she didn’t have a complicated past she still would have done her best to resist sleeping with the star.  At the end of the day, she was still a professional.

Locking herself in the actually sizeable bathroom, the shaken female began to run herself a hot bath.  Right now she had to forget everything except the job she had to do as well as the fact that she and Tom could never be anything but friends.  She would still treat him with the same amount of care she always did but she would make sure to keep a professional barrier between them.  Nights like this simply couldn’t be allowed to happen, period.  Not if she wanted to come out of this with her sanity intact.  Turning off the taps, the weary woman slipped into the steaming water and began to languidly wash herself.  Spending the night in the same room as the actor tonight was going to be interesting.

To find the suite empty when he got back had been a terrible shock.  In fact, he had almost pulled out his phone to call the missing woman when he noticed the closed bathroom door as well as the light coming out from under it.  Relief filled his body in a rush and he very lost his control right then and there.  The air almost seemed to shimmer around him as the temperature took a sharp dip, causing his breath to come out as fog briefly.  As quickly as it started, it all stopped as he took deep breaths to calm down.  She was fine, she was safe.  Releasing a sigh, the towering actor moved toward the locked door and placed a hand on the faux wood.  No matter how much he tried to reassure himself, he simply needed verbal reassurance she was there.  “Lissey?  Luv, are you in there,” he asked in a far too quiet, scared voice.

Said female had been relaxing in the hot water when she felt the sudden chill.  But it happened so fast that she merely shrugged it off as a draft somewhere.  She was just about to close her eyes again when she heard a soft voice calling Tom’s nickname for her through the door.  “Tom?” she called out, her heart racing at the possibility that it might  _ not _ be him.

“Oh darling.  You gave me such a fright when your weren’t in the room.  I thought something had happened to you.  Are you taking a bath?  I hear water,” came her client’s worry laden voice, muffled by the material between them.  Just hearing it made guilt bloom in her chest and she began to pull herself reluctantly out of the water’s warm embrace.

“Yeah, I’m sorry Tom.  I should have left you a note or something,” she called as she stepped out of the porcelain container.

“No, don’t get out!  Finish up your bath, I’ll have a surprise waiting for you,” came his quick reply, leaving Lissa feeling conflicted.  Finding the water too tempting, the young woman slid back in and resumed soaking.  She would just deal with whatever was waiting for her when she got out.

“Sorry that took so long.  I hope you didn’t...,” she began, stopping when she saw what awaited her.  Apparently Tom had been a very busy boy in the past fifteen minutes.

All ambient lighting had been turned off to be replaced with dancing candlelight from candles scattered through the room.  There, on the table and surrounded by rose petals, was a steak dinner for two and a two pronged candelabra.  There also appeared to be two glasses full of a deep red wine and a faint, soft music playing in the background.  “Tom?” she whispered in an unsure voice, dropping the towel she had been drying her hair with to her red pajama shirt clad shoulder as her eyes searched for the star.  She found him standing by their beds with a soft smile on his handsome face.

“I wanted to do something special for you.  Consider it a belated thank you for everything you’ve done for me through the years,” he murmured, a strange huskiness to his voice that made her womb clench.

“This is very nice.  Thank you,” Lissa whispered, slowly walking toward the small table and sitting down.

“It was my pleasure,” rumbled his voice by her ear, making her wonder just how he had gotten there so quickly.  His blue-green eyes shined with warmth as he smiled down at her.  Then he was lifting her hand to kiss it before moving to his side of the table and sitting down.

“To the future,” the star declared, raising his fat bottomed wine glass and offering it to the female across from him for a toast.

Feeling a bit apprehensive about what he was toasting to, Lissa simply shrugged it off before raising her glass shyly.  “The future,” she whispered, her traitorous heart wishing for so much more than she was willing to allow herself.  The rims of their glasses clinked companionably before they pulled back and took a sip simultaneously.  Then the pair tucked into their food, Lissa more than a little surprised by how good the food tasted.  When they were both finished, the movie star grabbed the plates before she could and set them outside the door for housekeeping to pick up.

Then the taller, well muscled male was turning and prowling towards her; his black clothing only adding to the big cat illusion.  “Um, isn’t that uncomfortable?” the flustered assistant whispered, noticing he still wore the wig from their earlier excursion.

“”Wha...,” he began, then realization dawned on his face and he got a shameful look on his pale face.

“Ah, the wig.  Forgot I had it on.  Give me a moment luv, removing this thing can be tricky,” the actor continued, grabbing the small bag from earlier and going into the bathroom.

Melissa took that opportunity to have a quick and very quiet freak out.  One part of her was utterly charmed by his romantic display, the other part of her was utterly horrified.  Any more gestures like this and she would be complete putty in his hands.  Groaning, the brunette ran a shaky hand over her clammy face as she took deep breaths in an effort to quell the warm, happy feeling rising within her.  As much as it hurt, she just couldn’t allow herself to allow it to overtake her.  Tom had no idea what he was getting into and it would be highly unfair to the man.  He was just starting to gain ground as a serious actor after all!  “Dammit Tom, why do you have to be so... you,” she hissed in faint aggravation before heading to her bed and laying down.

The star came back out sans shirt, a pair of black sleeping pants hanging low on his hips.  His dyed, raven locks spilled down his back and his glittering eyes searched the room briefly for his companion.  When he saw her lounging on her own bed with a lamp on and a book in her hands, he raised a dark brow.  “You blew out all the candles,” he chuckled, moving to his bed and sitting on the edge that faced her.

“Well, we are going to bed at some point and I wanted to read a bit.  Besides, the whole romantic atmosphere seemed a bit unneeded,” Lissa replied dryly, her face hidden by the paperback she was currently reading.

“‘Watership Down,’ huh?  Good book but very sad,” he remarked softly from far too close, making the woman put her book down to look at him.  The tall actor was leaning himself toward her, a strange heat radiating from the lines of his body.

“Yeah, Fiver is my favorite.  I always felt bad for the little guy,” she responded, resisting the extreme urge to lick her lips.  With the way he was looking at her, it almost felt if moving would make him pounce on her.

“Why don’t you come sleep with me tonight.  I could use the company,” he purred in a warm voice that made her traitorous body respond pleasurably.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.  Tonight has shown me that my little confession may have given you the wrong idea.  There is no amount of wooing or charm that is going to get me to change my mind.  Its for the best that our relationship stay professional,” the brunette answered, squeezing her thighs together slightly to try to drive away the ache forming in her core.  His scent, nearness and growly voice were doing horrible things to her, slowly but surely whittling away at her self control.

A deep inhale from beside her drew her slightly terrified gaze back to her client.  His eyes were closed and an expression that she could only call bliss spread over his face as his nostrils flared.  When his orbs reopened, the green in his eyes was very nearly glowing and his pupils were dilated.  “I would beg to differ Lissey.  You mentioned a reputation before but I simply can’t see you doing anything that would endanger my career if we got into a relationship,” he rasped in a voice that came from the bottom of his ribcage.  It was so deep, Melissa could have sworn she could feel his words vibrating in her body.

“It happened two years ago, ages for the paparazzi.  Yet, because of the nature of the ‘scandal’, I know there are plenty out there that remember.  I... was in a very close relationship with an older male.  Due to his fame, our relationship was kept mostly secret for both our sakes.  We came very close to getting married when somebody managed to get a picture of us and gave it to the paparazzi.  The story exploded everywhere, ruining his reputation overnight.  To mitigate any more damage to him, I simply left our home without telling him; leaving my ring and a note.  He has never gotten over the loss of me and I guess you could say the same goes for me but if I hadn’t left, they would have continued to tear him apart and throw around baseless accusations,” she responded, being very careful to keep Jeremy’s name out of it.

“Ah, that explains a few things.  Melissa, please look at me,” came a serious sounding baritone, drawing her gaze.  Tom’s eyes were fixed on her and he grabbed her one of her hands in his, rubbing the top with a thumb.

“I can understand why you’d be hesitant to have a relationship with a celebrity after that.  Something that sensational never truly goes away, just goes into hiding for a while,” he continued quietly, his green-blue eyes holding understanding.  Lissa could only nod, glad he was finally understanding.

“But, I’m not willing to give up that easy.  Now that I know for sure that it isn’t something terrible, I intend to pursue a relationship with you,” he declared, a determined gleam in his orbs as he pulled her hand to his lips and placed a kiss on top.

“Tom...,” she began, not liking the sound of that one bit.  She couldn’t allow him to put everything he was striving for on the line for her.

“I’m serious.  I can see it in your eyes that you want this too and I’m not about to give up easy,” he rumbled before pulling away to lie on his bed.  His now more blue eyes shined at her almost soothingly as he rubbed the empty spot beside him.

“Now, come cuddle with me.  It’s awfully lonely over here,” he whispered, using his patented kicked puppy whimper.  Sighing heavily, knowing she was beat, Lissa got out of her bed and slid into her client’s.

“Much better,” the taller star sighed blissfully, a hand moving slowly up and down her side.  Soon the combination of the soothing touch and his scent had her drifting off, making her unaware of the heartbreaking look the man holding her was giving her.


	5. First Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Yep stuff, boy I love me some stuff. |3

The shrill sound of her alarm caused both of them to sit up with startled expressions, Tom’s arms instinctually wrapping around her.  “Easy there, it’s just time to get you in the shower and start our day.  Now go on, I’ll call for some breakfast,” Lissa urged drowsily, pulling herself free before his scent could work its magic on her.  She didn’t see the look on the actor’s face before she had pulled away to gather her clothes for the day.  For just a moment his eyes had been a pure, jade green and his skin had been just a bit more pale than usual.  Then he was back to normal, shaking his dark haired head as he made his way to the bathroom.

“Yes, hello.  I would like to order a couple breakfasts,” the assistant announced into the phone, doing her best to ignore what had happened between them last night.  No matter what he said, she just couldn’t allow this to get any deeper.

Soon Tom was finishing up a plate of scrambled eggs while Lissa checked her messages.  “Okay, after your special appearance we should have a few hours before you have to show up in the ‘Green Room’.  I imagine you’ll want to have some time with your fellow celebs.  You can spend as much time as you want since you have the rest of the day free,” she announced, putting her phone down and taking a swig of coffee with a grimace.  She absolutely hated the black sludge but she need some caffeine if she was going to get through this surprise appearance in one piece.  As it was, the actor was going to have to disguise himself; making her very glad for the fact he already had one handy.  Though they should come up with some way to hide his face.  This wasn’t like the club, where people were too drugged out to notice their own feet.  These people had seen the Avengers as well as the first Thor movie and were far more likely to recognize him and spoil the surprise.  Maybe they could stick to the service elevators.

“I think I’ll only stay in there a couple of hours.  I have more important things to focus on than a bunch of actors that are full of themselves,” he replied, a strange edge to his voice that drew her attention.  For just a brief moment, the expression on his pale face was one of absolute disgust and derision.  Then it faded for his normal neutral expression as he reached for his own coffee.

“You shouldn’t say that.  You know it’s good for you to make as many friends in the business as possible.  It’s all about who you know after all,” she replied, a worried look on her pale face.  Despite all her wishes for last night to just blow over, it seemed like her wayward charge was determined to hang onto it.  She wasn’t stupid, she knew exactly why he wanted to blow off time in the ‘Green Room’ and she wasn’t about to let herself become a distraction for him.

“Besides, I already told you, we can’t do this Tom.  You are going to stay in the ‘Green Room’ and we are going to continue to act like assistant and client until this convention is over,” she declared, getting to her feet to gather their plates and put them outside their door.  She only stopped when she felt a semi-harsh grip on her upper arm.  Turning her head, she saw the star giving her an absolutely frightening look.  His eyes had once again become a vibrant jade green and his jaw was tensed as he nearly glared down at her.

“And I believe I told you that I’m not willing to accept that.  I’ll do as you ask but I will not act as if there is nothing between us,” he hissed before he released her and took a deep breath, running a hand over his dark curls.

“Tom?” Melissa whispered hesitantly, rubbing her arm where he had grabbed her.  Almost immediately he looked apologetic and submissive, a sharp contrast to what she had seen a few seconds earlier.

“I’m so sorry Lissey.  I didn’t mean to...  I’m not used to you ordering me around like that.  There’s no excuse.  Please, let me see,” he whispered, his eyes back to their normal blue-green shade.

“No, it’s okay.  I was just surprised is all!  You didn’t even hurt me,” the brunette found herself reassuring as she pulled up the sleeve of her black suit.  There wasn’t even so much as a bruise marring her skin, making the stressed male relax significantly.

“Now go get dressed.  We have a lot to do today,” she urged, giving him a smile.  Tom only gave her another apologetic glance before slinking into the bathroom like a scolded cat.  The image was so odd that Lissa found herself giggling, immediately getting rid of the left over tension.

Soon the suite was a flurry of movement, Melissa handing her charge his trusty black bag.  “I hope you have something to cover your face or that the housekeepers know how to get through unseen,” she called, pocketing a couple cans of pepper spray just in case.  She wasn’t very big or strong and she had to make sure she could protect Tom in case the worst happened.

“Don’t worry about it.  I have everything covered,” assured his accented voice, the slight gruffness doing horrible things to her insides.

“Oh my dear, sweet Thomas.  You have no idea what you’re in for do you,” she sighed.  While this was her client’s first con, it certainly wasn’t hers.  Before she had joined the agency, she had gone to several; the biggest being the San Diego Comic Con.  Tom may be used to large groups of crazed fans, but this would be an entirely different animal.  If any of these people recognized him, let alone got wind of just why he was here, it would start an all out frenzy.

When Tom came out with his planned disguise, even she had to admit it was a good one despite being extremely risky.  He wore the wig that mimicked his untampered hair, a large pair of sunglasses and that strange mouthpiece that had been forced onto Loki at the end of Thor.  “Where did you get that?  Did they just give it to you as a souvenir?” she asked, eyeing the intricately carved metal.  It looked... real almost.  As if it had been designed with the purpose of causing discomfort and keeping the wearer silent.  It also looked as if it had been made out of real metal, not the lightweight foam of a movie prop.

Raising her eyes to look at Tom’s face, she saw an oddly bitter expression on his face.  “Yes, a souvenir.  I guess you could say its something like that,” he sighed, giving a brief grimace of distaste before placing the thing over the lower half of his face.  As soon as it clicked into place, his eyes blazed a deep red for a split second; making Lissa’s breath catch in her throat.  Had she really seen that or had she just hallucinated it.

“Uh, er, let’s go.  You should have no problem passing for an original character of some sort,” the young woman chirped, trying to shake off what she had just seen but a few small things were beginning to add up.  Calling herself ridiculous, the handler helped the actor put on his iconic leather armor and covered that with a large, brown cloak.

Soon the pair were taking the service elevator down, doing their best to avoid the crowds as much as possible.  “It’s times like this I wish you weren’t so tall.  At least we aren’t the weirdest ones out there,” Lissa sighed, staring at the mass of people that was between them and their destination.  She felt a hand on her shoulder drawing her gaze up to her overgrown ward.  The much taller male was giving her a reassuring glance before leading the way.  The entire way, he made sure to keep his body between her and the huge press of attendees.

“Be on the lookout for Hall H,” she called through the din, hoping he heard and prying to all that was holy that they didn’t get separated.  She knew nothing was likely to happen but being a female in the midst of a huge crowd of nerds was an intimidating prospect.  To her relief, the disguised star tightened his grip on her hand as he continued to weave them through the crowd.

Thankfully they reached their destination unmolested, only to be swarmed by Chris Hemsworth and his entourage of people.  “Where’ve you been Hiddleston!  You were almost late for your big reveal.  Get your wig back on or whatever,” the man who played Thor boomed, a grin on his bearded face as he clapped the thinner man on the back just a bit too hard.  That comment made Melissa just the tiniest bit confused.  Didn’t Hemsworth know that Tom was wearing a wig already?

“Yeah yeah, just give me a second,” the harried looking star sighed as he removed the metal cover with a grimace on his handsome features.  Handing the cover to her, Tom walked off into a backstage area; making Lissa even more curious.  Why didn’t he just pull off the wig right here and hand it to her as well.  Giving Chris a shy smile, the midnight clad woman moved to the small area her client had gone into.  What she saw made her jaw nearly drop through the floor.

Tom placed his hands on his forehead and moved them backward slowly, his hair turning the dark shade she had seen since he had taken the part once more.  Even the length changed back to just brushing his collar, making her wonder if she was seeing things or not.  No, there was just no way this was possible!  Tom Hiddleston did not just change his hair using his bare hands like Loki would.  Her heart racing in her chest, she slowly backed away; moving back into the area where Chris and his three handlers were waiting for their cue.  “Are you okay Miss Einsil?  You look a bit pale?” the scraggly looking male asked, concern shining in his cerulean eyes.

“Huh?  Uh, y-yeah... I just... I thought I saw... nevermind,” the young woman whispered, suddenly finding her black suit pants very interesting.  What she had seen had been utterly ludicrous.  Who on Earth would believe her?  Poor Chris would think she had finally snapped under the strain of taking care of Hiddleston by herself.

“Lissey?  What did you see?” came a concerned voice by her ear, nearly making her jump out of her skin as she whirled around to face the source.  There stood Tom, looking as harmless as ever.

“Where’d you put your wig from earlier?” came out of her mouth before she could stop it.  This question rocked the taller male back on his heels just slightly, green slowly taking over his eyes as a cold expression briefly flashed across his oval features.  Then it was erased by his usual warm smile, the joy not reaching his eyes as his gaze bored into her.

“I put it in my pocket,” he replied, his cold eyes daring her to challenge his claim.  Lissa only nodded, her eyes slowly roaming to his skin tight, black leather pants.  An action that wasn’t missed by the watchful celebrity.  Every line of his body screamed of tension as he seemed to silently demand that she not push this any further.

Blinking a bit at the steadily rising dread in her chest, the twenty-eight year old forced a shaky grin.  “You’ll be on after Chris.  They’ll give you a pretty obvious visual cue,” she announced, simply letting the matter drop just like that.  Despite all the questions whirling around in her head, she doubted it would be very smart to start a ruckus in the middle of the world’s largest Comic Con.  Tom only narrowed his eyes, contrasting his bright smile before moving into position behind Chris, allowing his scent to hit her.  It still had an effect on her, making her subconsciously squeeze her thighs together as she tried to gather her frantic thoughts.

There had to be a rational explanation for what she had seen!  Sure!  All men had the ability to change their hair on a whim!  She certainly hadn’t taken any psychedelic drugs so that at least ruled that out.  Still, that didn’t have to mean Tom Hiddleston  _ was _ fucking Loki or vice versa!  He could be anyone and was just taking on the shape of Loki, sure.  How many other shapeshifting beings did she know of?  None!  Suddenly everything went black, breaking her free of her swirling, disjointed thoughts with a shock.  Then Tom was moving to the stage, drawing her to give him a sincere ‘good luck’ despite the confusion going on inside her brain.

The moment his boots hit the stage, the Tom she knew changed instantly into Loki Laufeyson.  His posture, his eyes, even his scent were entirely different; speaking of a power and nobility most actors couldn’t hope to portray in a lifetime.  Seeing this only deepened her earlier suspicions and she felt a chill run through her blood as the man turned God walked onto center stage.  “Humanity, look how far you’ve fallen. Lining up in the sweltering heat for hours. Huddling together in the dark, like beasts,” he boomed, his voice easily carrying in the room despite the fact he hadn’t been given a mic.  Just hearing the first few lines already sent fans into screams of approval.

By the time the lights came on, mimicking lightning to center on his figure; there were many women chanting his name.  Like the arrogant man he now was, ‘Loki’ spread his arms as he approached the lip of the stage.  Just seeing all of this only made Lissa’s head swim even more and she began to feel faint.  Her mind was stuck somewhere between this being utterly impossible and making entirely too much damn sense!  His arms were spread out as he almost seemed to bask in their regard, a cruel, cold look on his pale face as he began to point at the screaming crowd.  The more she observed, the less it seemed like he was playing a character; especially coupled with what she had witnessed earlier.  Then a smirk curled his lips as he unleashed a cold laugh amidst frantic chants of his name.  Lights shined off his black, gold and green armor, only helping the illusion for the crowd but cementing things in Lissa’s head.  She was one of the only people in the room that knew they were looking at an actual norse God.  The knowledge nearly made her faint then and there.

When he tired of their chants, he raised a finger to his lips; gaining instant silence.  “I am Loki, of Asgard and I am burdened with glorious purpose,” he announced, his voice the signature growl that made her toes curl and insides quiver.  Yet, under that, there was a strong current of fear.  If this was Loki disguised as a human, how much of the movies were true?  Did he still want to conquer Midgard and Asgard as his own?  Should she warn people?  Who would even believe her?  All these questions and more filled her head, very nearly making fer faint from the sheer amount of confusion.

“Stand back you mewling quim!” he snarled at the two that were on the stage.  Chris dutifully fell back in surprise while the other scampered away.  This only seemed to amuse the dark God that people had no idea really was a God.  He unleashed another cruel laugh before turning back to the crowd.  Oh how she just wanted to run, to get out and never be heard from again.  Anything would be preferable to waiting for this to end so she could escort him back to their shared room.   _ ‘Besides, why would he need me for protection,’ _ the female thought a bit hysterically, her eyes moving like she was a trapped animal.

“The bright lure of freedom diminishes your life’s joy in a mad scramble for a place in this chamber. In this meager palace of Midgard the arena they call Hall H,” he continued, sounding chiding and derisive as he paced.  How could no one hear the very true conviction of his voice, not feel the power rolling off him in thick waves as he moved.

““Where are your Avengers now?” Say my name,” he flung out arrogantly, fully expecting a response.  He wasn’t disappointed, getting one immediately.

“Say my name,” he urged again, even motioning with his hand.  Once again he was granted with an immediate response, causing a shudder of fear to run through Lissa.  Even if people did believe her, it certainly looked as if the God had already gotten his goal.  After all, there was more than one way to gain world domination.  Having a legion of loyal fans willing to do whatever you said was pretty damn close.

“ _ Say my name _ ,” he demanded almost angrily, beginning to pace in an agitated manner, his now green eyes almost blazing with an inner fire.

“ _ SAY MY NAME! _ ” he screamed, stopping in the middle of the stage to raise his hands and bask in their cries.  Then he was giving them a downright devious grin, full of dark promise.  A look that made her skin tingle with fear.  Yet, despite every instinct inside of her screaming for her to flee, Melissa stayed right where she was.  Then the God was striding off the stage with a cocksure grin on his handsome face, waving to the room full of screaming women behind him.

As soon as he eyes landed on her, however, a cold, calculating look came onto his face.  Gripping her upper arm in a slightly too tight grip, the leather clad male was leading her swiftly through the throng of gathering people.  Most of them tried to stop him for an autograph and he even did for a few of them but, for the most part, he simply kept moving toward their room.  It was only when they made it to the service elevator that Lissa even dared to look up at him.  The actor looked both livid and apprehensive, a muscle ticking steadily in his cheek as the small, metal object crawled its way up the floors.  All too soon they were at their floor and the man she knew as Thomas led her to their room, the temperature around them steadily dropping as they moved.

He shoved her into the room before locking the door, his breath leaving him in harsh pants as he began to pace; mirroring what he had just done on stage.  “How much do you think you know?  What did you see?” he growled, his voice a low rasp that made fear percolate in her stomach.

“I...I... I saw you change your hair.  You’re... you’re Loki aren’t you?  And I don’t mean the character.  I mean, you’re really Loki of Asgard,” she whispered is a quiet voice, her knees shaking as his jade green eyes seemed to almost burn a hole into her very soul.

The man who called himself Tom only gave her a stare before his shoulders slumped and he released a bitter sigh.  “Yes, you’re correct.  I am Loki Laufeyson,” he answered, no sign of any hesitation using his birth name.  A fact that surprised Lissa more than anything elses had.  From what she had seen, it was finding out he was an Ice Giant that had started the whole problem to begin with.  Now he was acting as if it was no big deal.

“Before you even ask, I am not here for a hostile takeover of your realm.  Besides, why would I need to be violent when I have gained so many loyal subjects just by telling my own story,” he sighed, moving to one of the chairs by the table and flinging his long body into it.

“How much of the movies are true?  I mean, did any of that really happen here?”  she whispered, kicking herself for the silly question.  If any of that had happened in their history, they would have heard about it, right?

“Most of it.  There are a few things exaggerated or skimmed here and there.  It happened a long time ago.  I very nearly ended the world as you midgardians know it,” he replied, almost sounding bitter as he gazed off into the distance.

“But, how can that be possible!  We would have heard about that!” the brunette protested before she could stop herself, earning a sardonic look from the God masquerading as an actor.

“It happened before your planet’s reincarnation cycle.  Your history didn’t even exist at that time,” he responded, relaxing slightly.

“But, I thought you hated Midgard!  Why come here and disguise yourself as an actor?  Even a different history of Midgard!” she protested, struggling to understand everything he was telling her.  Her head was already swimming with the information making her feel just the tiniest bit faint.  Swaying slightly, she found herself being held up by a very concerned looking Tom, no... not Tom anymore...

“Exactly why it was a good place to hide.  Odin wasn’t about to let me free after my latest stunt and I don’t do well in a cage.  Besides, by then I had gotten over most of my anger and betrayal.  The attack on Midgard was nothing but misguided temper from the very beginning.  Though the events with Thanos certainly didn’t help,” he whispered, his jade green eyes holding a deep sadness as well as fear.  Then he was steering her to a chair and forcing her to sit.

“As for why I chose an actor, well, I always did like being the center of attention.  Besides, how better to feel like you rule the world than to have a legion of people willing to do whatever you say,” he continued, his lips quirking into a smile as all tension left his tall frame.

“How many of you are there?” Melissa asked in a breathless voice, her entire perception of reality flipped on its head.

“Just my brother, Thor.  You know his as Chris Hemsworth.  He came here to look for me, to bring me back home where I belong.  He ended up getting roped into this acting business and is trying to use it to find what’s under his nose,” he sneered, his eyes glinting with amused derision as he sat in a chair next to her and took her hand in one of his.

“Do you not fear me?” he whispered in a small, soft voice, his eyes holding a slight hint of fear as he looked at her.

That question took her off guard and Melissa found herself actually having to think.  She didn’t fear the Tom she had known.  He had been kind, polite, giving to a fault and full of love for everyone around her.  But could the Tom she knew be a mask Loki had worn to blend in with humanity better?  Looking into his once again blue-green eyes and seeing the apprehension there, she found not much had changed about her friend.  “No, as long as the you I know is the real you,” she returned, earning a bright smile as he laughed with relief.  For a moment, it looked as if he had expected her to run away from him.  With what she knew about Loki, this didn’t surprise her one bit.  He hadn’t exactly been treated well, even before his heritage was discovered.

“I’ve never shown you a false face luv,” the God responded, placing one of his hands over hers as he gave her a smile.  After a few beats of silence, the assistant nodded to herself as she came to a conclusion.

“You don’t have to worry about me telling anyone your secret, I doubt anyone would believe me anyway.  Just promise me I won’t wake up to hear about you raging around with the Tesseract,” she begged in a semi-joking tone, feeling more at ease when her companion let loose a gale of laughter.

“Of course not!  I’m well past that.  Besides, the army I have is more than willing without mind control,” he purred, making her hope he was only joking.  Thankfully the gleam in his eyes told her he was and she lightly smacked his upper arm.

“So, what do you want to do before we go to the ‘Green Room’,” came a husky purr in her ear making her body shudder against her will.

“God or not, my stance is still the same Hiddleston... er, Laufeyson.  I simply can’t allow a romance to form for your own good,” Lissa admonished, not liking the stubborn set his jaw took as the words left her mouth.

“You know that’s a dangerous thing to say to a God.  Now that you know about me, I’ll be much more willing to use my powers to woo you in private.  The proverbial gloves are off my dear,” Loki purred, his eyes telling her he was enjoying the challenge she was presenting.

“Do your worst Loki.  No amount of Aesir magic is going to make me change my mind,” she hissed, her voice holding very little conviction.  The deity beside her only grinned, a knowing gleam in his sparkling eyes.


	6. In the Green Room

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: The plot twist makes a lot of sense if you think about it. If Loki wanted to rule the world, becoming an actor is a pretty good way to achieve that. *stares at Hiddleston suspiciously*

Much to her ward’s protests Lissa managed to usher the God turned actor out of their room and into the ‘Green Room’ to mingle with the other stars that had been invited.  At first, ‘Tom’ seemed reluctant to leave her side; no matter how much she begged him to go hang out.  It was only the intervention of ‘Chris’ that got him to detach from her side.  “Tom!  Come on!  There’s someone I want to introduce you to,” the dark blonde actor had encouraged before leading him away by the arm.  Thanking Odin for the oblivious male, the handler moved to a quiet area where she could keep an eye on things without being noticed.  As soon as she sat down, it really hit her.  Loki was walking around and talking like a normal person, acting as if he had never been a Norse God and she was the only one that knew his secret.

Sitting back in the couch she had chosen, she tried to absorb that information.  The trickster wasn’t even supposed to exist, let alone the things he had told her about.  It all seemed so fantastic but the evidence stood a few feet in front of her, talking to a beautiful redhead.  Even as she watched, the sly male made a drink appear in the hand he had behind his back and brought it forward like he had just received it from the bartender.  Just seeing that made her wonder how many times he had pulled such a simple trick on her.  Then she remembered the candles on the night he had tried to seduce her and groaned when she came to the conclusion he couldn’t have pulled it off without magic.  “That sneaky little...,” she hissed, smiling despite the annoyance in her voice.

Minutes soon turned into hours and Melissa had been largely left alone by the star she had been sent to babysit, something she didn’t mind.  She had meant it when she had told the star he needed to fraternize with people in the industry and she was happy to see he was doing just that.  Then, as if her thoughts had reached him somehow, the deity masquerading as a mortal named Tom Hiddleston turned to look at her.  Smiling in a way that made her heart stop in her chest, the tall male began to head towards her.   _ ‘Well, shit.  I just had to go and think about him,’ _ she sighed to herself as he stopped in front of her.  “What are you doing hiding in this dark corner?  Have you been here all night?” he asked, placing a hand on a bony hip as he raised a brow at her.

“Yes Tom.  I’m only here to make sure you don’t get into too much trouble,” the brunette replied, giving him a small smile.  The thespian only rolled his blue-green eyes before extending his hand to her.

“I simply can’t allow that,” he responded in a playfully exasperated tone as he wiggled his fingers at her.

Lissa looked from his offered hand to his determined face before sighing and placing her hand in his.  Giving her a bright smile, the actor pulled her to her feet gently before tugging her against his body and putting his free hand in the small of her back.  “Besides, I want to show off the woman who’s going to be my girlfriend,” he rumbled, giving her nose a quick peck.

“That’s a lot to assume,” she whispered, narrowing her eyes as he began to lead her toward the large crowd of famous guests.  The star beside her only chuckled before leaning in closer to her.  The heat of his body made her nethers pulse despite herself and she very nearly froze when she felt his breath hit the shell of her ear.

“Oh, I don’t thinks so.  Besides, I want to introduce you to someone.  He’s an old friend of mine,” he continued as he continued to gently push her along.  Melissa could only roll her eyes, knowing it was no good to argue with him.

All too soon Tom was introducing her to famous people right and left, still moving them forward in search of the person he wanted to introduce her to.  It wasn’t too much longer before the actor found the mysterious person and began to move with a purpose.  As they got closer, even though she could only see the man from the back, Lissa began to get a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach.  All of a sudden she no longer wanted to go anywhere near who her client was going to introduce her to.  Before she could even think about trying to run away, the star was tapping the other man on the shoulder; causing him to turn around.  As soon as she saw his face, her heart dropped into the pit of her stomach.  There, standing in front of her, was Jeremy Irons.

To his credit, Jeremy looked as shell-shocked to see her as she was to see him.  Then Tom was introducing him, his voice fading into the panic that was rapidly overtaking her mind.  All she could think of was the need to escape, the need to get away from the heartbreak filling her ex’s brown eyes.  “Yes, I believe we’ve already met.  Haven’t we Lis?” the older male whispered, his voice soft and sad as he held out a hand for her to shake.  Ignoring the curious look the man next to her was giving her, Lissa offered her hand to the man that would have been her husband.  To her shock, instead of shaking her hand, the taller male pulled her into a tight hug; inhaling her scent deeply.

“I’ve missed you Melissa,” he husked out in an emotion filled voice as his hands roamed on her back.  This moment was soon interrupted by a no doubt confused Thomas clearing his throat.  Just that simple noise caused the twenty-eight year old to jolt out of Jeremy’s embrace, a miserable, conflicted expression on her pasty face.

“Lissey?” the man she was here to watch over whispered in a confused voice, that one word asking a million questions.

“Remember when I told you I was engaged to someone,” whispered the distressed female, her panic growing by the second.  It was taking everything she had to not run out of the room, embarrasing both herself and the God disguised as a movie star.  Thankfully ‘Tom’ nodded, a bit of understanding beginning to come over his face.  Jeremy simply watched the exchange silently, his eyes never moving from his former fiance.  It almost felt as if he was afraid she would simply disappear, making a thin sliver of guilt rise through the screaming fear roiling inside her.

“Jeremy was that man,” she continued, swallowing the tears that were beginning to clog her throat.  Just being this close to him brought back all the memories and feelings as if they had never broken things off in the first place, causing her heart to clench like it was in a vice.

The tall, dark haired man next to her could only stare at them both in shock, looking unsure of what to do.  Jeremy, on the other hand, didn’t share his fellow celebrity’s confusion.  The older, taller male was again closing the distance, taking his former lover into his arms.  “We have a lot to talk about Lis but we can’t do that here.  Please, come back to my room with me,” he whispered in her ear urgently, his voice holding a desperate edge.  Hiddleston, who was still right beside her, stiffened visibly and narrowed his changing eyes.

“You’re welcome to come as well Tom.  I’m sure you would like some answers as well,” Irons offered, pulling away to look in Lissa’s brown eyes.

“Please Jeremy, I just... I can’t...,” the distressed female whispered, her voice far too shaky as tears began to fill her eyes.  Both men got identical looks of concern on their faces before they both led her out of the crowded room.

“Let’s go to your room.  She’ll be more comfortable there,” the famous voice actor suggested before the pair simply ushered the shaking woman to the elevator.  As soon as they were inside, Jeremy was immediately murmuring comforting things to the now openly crying Lissa as he once again took her into a hug.

“I’m not mad darling.  I could never be mad at you.  I’m just hurt.  Come now, no more tears please,” the dark haired man murmured gently, petting her hair in a soothing manner before pressing a kiss to her forehead.  An action that made ‘Tom’ bristle visibly.  In fact, it looked like he was coming very close to punching the older actor.

As if sensing the hostility, the slightly graying star raised his brow at his current companion.  It was at that precise moment that the small, metal box reached their floor, coming to a stop and opening it’s doors.  Without hesitation, the two men flanked the still sobbing female as Tom kinda led the way to the room.  Soon they were opening the door and bundling her inside, Jeremy making some tea while Tom sat down with Melissa at the table and tried to get her to stop crying.  “Shh, please Lissa.  It’s okay,” the distraught actor whispered, pulling her into his arms and shooting a glare at Jeremy.  After hearing what she had told him, he had a good idea of why she was reacting like this.

The older male, as if sensing his fellow actor’s ire, turned to stare at him.  “No, no it’s not okay.  Christ Tom, do you have any idea what I did to this man; to his heart?” came a watery voice drawing the attention of both males to the still sobbing handler.  The man holding her opened his mouth to respond when Irons quickly closed the distance and took her chin in his hands to force her to look him in the eyes.

“I hold no grudges for that.  I only want to know why.  Why did you leave me without an explanation?  Why have you been hiding from me?” he whispered, ignoring the glower he was getting from the dark haired star.

Releasing a ragged cry, the brunette flung herself at her former fiance and began to cry into his black tux coat.  “I’m sorry, so sorry.  It wasn’t that I didn’t love you, it was that I couldn’t stand to see what the paparazzi were doing to you because of me.  They were ruining your career, everything you worked so hard for.  After leaving, it was just too hard to see you so I avoided you,” she confessed, burrowing her face in his white clad chest.  The voice actor holding her only hummed softly, rocking her back and forth in an effort to calm her.

“Oh Lis... please don’t cry anymore love.  It hurts me to hear you like this.  Now come on, give us a smile,” he urged gently, lifting her chin so she was looking up at him.  Tom, who had been watching the exchange, only gritted his teeth as his hands curled into fists on his lap.  He didn’t like seeing how close the two still were and he had to fight with himself to not tear her from the other celebrity’s arms.

Sniffling loudly, Melissa offered Jeremy a shaky smile before she backed out of his hold.  The slightly graying man only gave her a smile in return before going to the teapot and pulling it off the stove just as it was going to start whistling.  Releasing a sigh, the young woman turned to give her client an apologetic glance; startling slightly at the fury she saw in his now mostly green eyes.  A fury that was quickly replaced by his normal gentle demeanor as he gave her a small, reassuring grin.  “Come sit down,” he offered, a slight tenseness to his frame despite his neutral tone.  Figuring he was angry about the drama, the twenty-eight year old only sighed before taking her previous spot beside the God disguised as a man.

“I’m sorry about this Tom.  If I had told you his name, I doubt you would have tried to introduce us,” she whispered, keeping her gaze on the top of the table out of shame and embarrassment.  She had completely acted like a fool in the ‘Green Room’ and even more once they had gotten back to the room.  Surely she had embarrassed the man she was meant to be watching.

“You have nothing to apologize for.  You were probably just trying to protect him.  You had no idea he would be at the convention,” the star assured, placing a hand over hers and giving it a squeeze.  Lissa gave him a relieved smile before two cups of tea were placed in front of her and her ward.  Then Jeremy was sitting across from them, a knowing expression in his eyes as he watched the pair.

“Indeed, there is nothing here to forgive.  All I ask is that you allow me to become your friend,” he murmured, not missing the glare Tom shot at him.  On the inside, the older actor was amused but also a bit sad.  While he knew they couldn’t pick up where they left off, it still smarted a bit to see another man interested in his former fiance.

“I don’t know if that’s a good idea.  I still have strong feelings for you, not to mention what would happen if people saw us together again,” Lissa replied, looking torn.  Irons only pursed his lips before reaching across the table and taking her hands in his.

“I don’t care about any of that right now.  All I know is that being away from you tore me apart.  Seeing you at this convention has been the only peace I’ve had for two long years.  Please don’t disappear on me again,” the aging actor pleaded, ignoring the anger pouring off his fellow celebrity as he rubbed the tops of her hands with his thumbs.

The torn twenty-eight year old could only nibble her lower lip before turning her gaze to the man beside her.  What she saw completely surprised her.  Tom looked absolutely livid, his eyes a bright, jade green.  Even the temperature was steadily beginning to drop, causing goosebumps to raise on her arms.  Then, as if sensing her regard, the dark haired star turned to her to give her a gentle smile; a sharp contrast to the jealousy clear in his vibrant eyes.  “I think you should Lissey.  I think it would be good for both of you,” he suggested, placing an arm around her shoulders before turning his gaze back to Jeremy.  The voice actor only smiled slightly before finishing his tea and getting to his feet.

“I have taken up more than enough of both your times.  If you would allow an exchange of numbers, I’ll be more than happy to get out of your hair,” he declared, offering his phone to his former fiance.  Giving the tux wearing star a small smile, Lissa took his phone to enter his number into hers and vice versa.  Once done, she handed his phone back before getting up, walking around the table and giving him another hug.

Sighing softly, the older male simply wrapped his own arms around her to return the embrace.  “I’ll see you soon,” he whispered in a sad voice before he was releasing her to turn around and leave the suite.  As soon as the door was shut, the being known as Tom wrapped his arms around her from behind; releasing a low growl as he placed his chin on her left shoulder.

“Tom?” she whispered, forgetting entirely to call him by his true name now that they were alone.

“My name is Loki,” he gritted out in a tense voice before turning her to face him.  His eyes were almost like looking into green fire and she only had a few seconds before his mouth covered hers in a possessive kiss.  Before she could respond, the deity was breaking the lip lock to stare into her eyes.

“Please try to remember to call me that when we’re alone,” he continued as he released her to run a hand through his shoulder length, ebony hair.  Every line in his body looked tense and he looked ready to explode, confusing Lissa slightly.  Just as she was about to ask what was wrong, she came to the realization that the man was jealous.

“Loki, are you jealous of Jeremy?” she asked, a bit of humor on her face.  The taller God only squared his shoulders as he gave her one of his infamous glares.  Giggling the assistant only shook her head.

“There’s nothing to be jealous about.  We’re not a couple and are unlikely to become one,” she assured, only getting a glare for her troubles.

Suddenly he was placing his hands on her shoulders, giving her a stern glance.  “Don’t say that.  You obviously have feelings for me and I obviously have feelings for you.  Regardless of your hesitations, I am going to do my best to convince you we can work as a couple,” he snarled, his hands shaking slightly.

“Loki...,” she started, only to have the Norse God shake his head at her.

“No Lissey.  I understand why you’re hesitant but don’t give up before we’ve even had a chance,” he rumbled, cupping her cheek with his hand.  Then he was taking his other hand off her shoulder, forming a blue rose out of thin air and offering it to her.

“Please, give me the chance to prove to you that we can be a couple despite my fame and the controversy you were involved in,” he pleaded, making sure to maintain eye contact.

Lissa could only stare at him, then the rose before taking the azure bloom.  “I can’t promise anything but I’ll let you try,” she sighed, freezing when the star pulled her into a tight hug.

“Thank you,” he whispered, placing a kiss on her cheek before pulling her towards his bed.  Then he was laying down, rubbing the sheets to show he wanted her to join him.  Rolling her eyes, Lissa cuddled next to him and placed her cheek on his chest.

“What would you say to going out to dinner tomorrow?” he asked, chuckling when she lightly smacked his chest.


	7. Green Eyed Monster

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Sorry for the delay. Had a bit of an emergency pop up and it understandably killed my inspiration. (Also, forgive the bad joke with the title)

“Jeremy, really I’m fine!  Your handler looks like he’s about the have kittens as it is,” Lissa pleaded, her head throbbing as she kept most of her focus on the line going past Tom.  The actor beside her was busily giving out autographs, a strangely angry look on his pale features.  On her other side was probably the source of his irritation and, currently, her mortification; Jeremy Irons.  The aging Brit had quickly found them in the autograph area and had claimed a spot close by despite heavy protests from both her and her client.  Though she could bet they had entirely different reasons.

“Are you sure luv?  You look a bit pale.  I have another bottle of water,” he offered graciously, earning a strange noise from his beleaguered looking assistant.  The poor man looked about ready to pop, probably only holding it together due to the fact they were in public.  Thankfully the young women who streamed by to see Tom were utterly charmed by him making sure she was taken care of, stopping to talk to him when they normally wouldn’t.  Even now a pair cooed at them before moving on for a signed picture of ‘Loki’, not knowing they were getting it straight from the source.

“She’s well taken care of Mr. Irons,” the man on her right snarled under his breath before something cool and plastic was pressed into her hand.  Looking up, the brunette saw her charge giving the older man an absolutely livid glare.

This amused both her ex and the crowd, causing a titter to go through the growing audience like a wave.  “Gentlemen please,” Melissa hissed through her teeth, a deep blush coloring her paper white cheeks.  This made the women watching squeal slightly, only making her and Jeremy’s handler more nervous.  Twisting the top off the plastic cylinder, the nervous female took several large swallows; giving the crowd time to get bored and move on.  Soon they were both back to signing pictures like normal until Tom grabbed her arm to bring himself closer to her ear.

“I will take care of your needs,” he rumbled in a possessive voice, his unnaturally cold lips brushing the shell of her ear.  Not only that, but his breath and hand were like ice; letting her know the exiled Prince was more than just a little pissed off.  Then he was releasing her to get a picture with a fan, smiling as if their exchange had never happened.

“Quite protective isn’t he,” chuckled an amused, deeper voice from her left side, causing her to turn to look at the amused face of Jeremy.  Only rolling her eyes in response, the female returned her focus to her charge; who was now glaring at both her and the older male.  Heaving a sigh, Melissa pinched her nose as she took a deep breath to stave off a headache.

“Do you need an Anacin darling?” cooed the ever helpful Irons, earning a quiet, but malicious sounding snarl from her grown ward.  This was going to be a very long day.

As the day wore on, it became more and more apparent to the couple that Jeremy was simply going to be their shadow; much to Tom’s severe irritation.  The actor was even reluctant to go on stage for his panel, leaving her alone with her once dearly loved ex.  This only seemed to amuse the graying male, a small smile on his noble face as he watched the two together.  “Tom, please.  We only have this panel left and then you have to make a visit to the ‘Green Room’.  I can assure you that nothing will happen between Mr. Irons and I,” she assured, doing her best to usher the dark haired thespian onto the stage where he was needed in a few seconds.

Narrowing his eyes, Hiddleston snorted before turning on his heel like the Asgardian he was and stormed onto the stage to take his mic.  Once he was gone, Jeremy was wrapping a loose, companionable arm around her shoulders.  “He’s got it bad for ya Lis, can’t say I can blame him.  If I didn’t know you would turn me down outright, I would offer to rekindle things,” he sighed, his brown eyes looking rueful as they gazed down at her.

“Jeremy,” the twenty-eight year old began, only to be interrupted by the shaking of his head.

“There’s no need to rehash all of that now.  Besides, I doubt Mr. Up-and-Coming out there would let me anywhere near you right now,” he soothed, smirking when Tom’s gaze turned to them as if on cue.

The Norse deity bristled in response, his jaw clenching as he struggled to remain neutral in his responses.  “You really shouldn’t keep prodding him like this,” Melissa whispered, feeling just a bit of fear blossom within her.  The man behind her was teasing something he had no idea was deadly and she winced at the pictures that came up in her head.

“Oh I know but I simply can’t resist.  It’s all in fun and, besides, it does my old heart good to see someone so protective of you.  It lets me know you’ll be well take care of,” the voice actor responded, pulling away to put some distance between them before the disguised male exploded.

“That’s assuming I’ll end up with him.  My reputation has made a relationship with him kind of impossible.  He doesn’t want to admit it, but there’s really no chance for us,” she whispered, a sad look in her eyes before she was grabbed by the upper arms and spun to face her former lover.

“You stop that missy!  I agree with Tom!  Whatever that man feels for you is well worth fighting for,” the taller man urged before his intense eyes moved to a spot over her head.  Then he was grinning as she opened her mouth to make an admittedly weak protest.

“Shhh, before you argue, take a look at how ‘lover boy’ is reacting to me manhandling you,” he chuckled before spinning her back around to face the stage.  What greeted her brown eyes made her go completely silent.

This wasn’t Tom facing them now.  This was pure Loki, waves of freezing cold rolling off him as he gave the pair an absolutely bone-chilling glower.  His eyes were now a bright emerald green, nearly glowing as his jaw tensed.  It looked like the disguised God was barely holding himself back from charging toward them and ripping her from Jeremy’s arms.  “It’s only his job keeping him on that stage right now.  He looks like he about wants to rip my head off doesn’t he?” rasped said actor’s voice in her ear before he was releasing her and backing off.  This only made the seething male relax slightly and he kept glaring at them out of the side of his left eye as he returned his focus to the front.

“I bet if I dared to come close to you again that he would fuck his responsibilities and come to ‘save’ you.  As it is, I should probably shove off before that panel of his ends.  Something tells me there’ll be trouble if I don’t,” Irons chuckled, before footsteps from behind her told her he was leaving.

Seeing Jeremy leave immediately made the male on stage relax completely, his rage being replaced instantly with worry as he kept responding to questions dutifully.  Just seeing how he was acting made her heart skip a few beats and she felt just the tiniest bit dizzy, having to brace herself on a nearby as her breath stuttered in her lungs.  She had a crush on the handsome man before but knowing he was so protective of her made her heart clench in her chest and she suddenly found herself fighting happy tears.  Taking slow breaths to relieve the pressure building in her breast, Lissa groaned at the implications of what she was feeling.  Despite her best efforts to keep some distance, it seemed it was a lost cause.  “Excuse me, I’m afraid I have to cut this short.  I’m afraid I ate something that didn’t agree with me,” came Tom’s voice, breaking her out of her thoughts.

“Oh Tom...,” she whispered, annoyance and happiness filling her at the same time as the extremely concerned looking star handed off his mic and practically jogged off the stage.  In seconds he was closing the distance between them, his large hands cupping her face as his blazing green eyes examined her closely.

“Did he hurt you?  What did he say to you?  I knew that nice guy thing was an act!  He was probably waiting for a moment alone to tear into you.  I swear, if he said anything to upset you,” the fuming deity snarled, his expression flipping between deep worry and rage.

“Tom, slow down.  Aren’t you two friends?  You should know Jeremy better than that.  He was just... he was trying to convince me I was being foolish by continuing to keep you at arm’s length,” she replied quickly, placing her hands on his chest in an effort to regain his attention.

The towering male stiffened at the use of his assumed name before heaving slow breath through his nostrils and leading her out of the room and into the crowd, his hand in the small of her back as he shoved her along.  “You’re right.  In all the years I’ve known him, Jeremy has never acted like that,” he whispered as he led them to the elevators.

“Then why...” she began to ask as she was ushered into a service elevator, interrupted by his fingertips touching her soft lips.

“Please... wait until we get to the room.  Let’s just say seeing him be a little rough with you like that...,” Loki rumbled, his voice dropping into its normal register as he ran a hand through his curly, raven hair.  Then he was wrapping his arms around her to pull her against his lithe form, his lightly muscled chest heaving as he burrowed his nose in her brown haired and inhaled deeply.

“Are you hurt in any way?” he asked in an urgent voice, his voice holding a steely edge as his hands roamed over her to check for injury.

“No,” she whispered in a quiet voice, his voice and scent doing terrible things to her.  Her earlier revelation certainly didn’t help things and the shaken female released a small whimper as she struggled with her deep longing to just give in and kiss this man.  This incredible man who had been a good friend to her through their professional relationship.  This man whom she had fallen in love with since she first laid eyes on him.  That was when reality washed over her like ice water and she pulled out of his embrace.

This wasn’t a man she had fallen in love with, it was a God.  A God who had just so happened to disguise himself as the handsome, up and coming actor Tom Hiddleston.  “Lissey?” came his questioning voice, making her confused heart twist in her chest.

“T... Loki...  I... I...  How can I be sure I really even know you?  You... you’re showing a mask to the world.  How do I know your kindness, let alone love for me is real?  How do I know that ‘Tom’ isn’t entirely fabrication.  For fuck’s sake, you’re... you’re...,” she trailed off, her earthy eyes going wide as she saw the absolute glower the God was giving her.

“Stop!” he snarled, his vibrant eyes shooting fire as the elevator came to a stop and opened its doors.  Then he was dragging her to their shared room, shutting the door before ushering her into a chair.

Then he was taking a seat across from her, releasing a frustrated sigh as he rested his hands on his dark haired head.  “Melissa, I have been nothing but genuine with you.  I am well aware of the reputation the movies give me but you’ll just have to trust that I’ve long moved past that.  ‘Tom’ is just a name I use, not a mask.  I have never been anything but myself, minus the magic and some more overt personality traits,” he hissed, his fingers tangling and gripping in his shoulder length hair.  Something in his voice told her he was much more bothered by her unthinking rant than he let on and she stopped to think about the man by her right side.

She had to stop thinking of him as Tom and had to take his real backstory into account.  Even with over exaggeration, Loki hadn’t been treated well due to his parentage.  His adopted father had never treated him like a son and when his real heritage had come to light, Odin had practically disowned him in front of all of Asgard.  From that point on, the outcast Prince was never treated with trust again; most reacting with fear if he even came near.  Surely it wouldn’t take long for vicious, untrue rumors to dog his every step; only adding to his stress and outrage at his situation.  “Loki..,” she began, only to be interrupted by a very stern glance.

“No more right now, please.  Seeing him handle you like that...  I almost...,” he snarled, the air getting colder in the room the more his agitation grew.  His skin even began to gain a faint, bluish tinge, reminding her of his true heritage in a flash.

His teeth ground together loudly as tears began to roll down his transforming cheeks, his cheekbones growing more angular as faint, raised lines began to appear in his changing skin.  “I will not stand by and watch someone I care about get shoved around!  I demand proper respect for my lovers.  How dare a mortal like him dare to...,” he began, his eyes changing to a deep red and he continued to change into his full on Jötunn form.

“Loki!” Lissa shouted, ignoring the fear growing inside her to try to bring the situation out of control.  Former bad guy or not, he deserved to live in peace like the rest of them.  The fact that he could have easily taken over by now only help to soothe her earlier fears and confusion.  Thankfully her outburst had the intended effect and the fuming male was turning his blood red gaze to her, every muscle in his body tense.

“Easy, take it easy.  Jeremy isn’t like your father.  He would never take revenge on me.  Everything he did was to get a rise out of you, minus the minor manhandling.  That, like I already told you, was because he was trying to convince me to just give in and be with you already,” she soothed quietly, relying on her knowledge from the films to get through to him.  To her surprise, the man deflated greatly; his breath leaving him in a whoosh.

“You’re right, I know you are.  It was just seeing it...  It brought back memories of what happened to me, of what happened to anyone who was friends with me after the truth came to light,” he whispered, reaching over the table to place his hand over hers.

“Loki...,” she whispered, her heart clenching for the kind man across the table from her.  He had lost his way once but anyone would have with what he had gone through, as well as whatever had happened while he was with Xanatos.  The midnight haired man  only shook his head before giving her a slightly bitter grin.

“No luv.  It was eons ago.  The events are long since passed.  Though working on these movies is certainly digging a few memories up,” God of mischief sighed, bringing her hand up to his lips to place a kiss on the skin.

“I value those who are kind to me as well as those that I have grown fond of.  I have had far too few true friends in my long life,” he whispered in a heartbreakingly lonely voice as he gave her the largest set of puppy dog eyes yet.

Unable to resist the pull on her heart, Lissa sighed before crawling into his lap and snuggling into his chest; acting like a living teddy bear.  Loki immediately wrapped his arms around her, making a noise of contentment that absolutely melted her heart.  “Thank you luv.  Whether you know it or not, your presence has always been like a tonic for me,” he whispered into her hair, his hands moving slowly on her arms and making pleasant chills race up and down her spine.  All at once, she lost all her remaining will to fight whatever was happening between them.  All at once she felt far too right in his arms to want to give this up without a fight as well.

“Fine,” she sighed in a half irritated voice, giggling at the disguised God’s confused ‘huh’.

Looking up to make sure their eyes met, Melissa once again assessed her emotions before sticking to her resolve.  “Fine, I’ll let you talk me into a relationship but I expect romance mister.  Flowers, chocolates, maybe my own pony,” she half teased in an effort to hide her nervousness.  The star beneath her froze as his breathing stopped entirely, his hands stilling instantly.

“Don’t tease me Lissey.  Please, please don’t tease me.  Are you really willing to...,” he started, his eyes looking at her with a hope that made guilt stab an icicle into her heart.  Giving him a soft smile, Lissa shyly met her lips with his briefly before breaking the kiss with a blush and nodding.

The Norse male responded by enveloping her in his arms and taking her lips almost hungrily as a low growl bubbled up from deep within his chest.  His tongue lapped insistently at her lips until her mouth opened with a gasp, allowing him free reign to plunder her orifice at will.  Then, as soon as it started, he was stopping; breaking the kiss with a ragged apology.  “Forgive me, I’ve been wanting to do that since the day I met you,” he rasped in a breathy voice, his lips bare inches from hers as he panted raggedly.

“If I’m honest, I wanted it too; only I wanted the kiss to be from you and not ‘Tom’,” she confessed with a blush before pulling herself off his jeans covered lap.  The famed ‘Hiddlesconda’ was in full glory, standing in full definition beneath the tight material.

“Oh luv why are you getting off my lap after saying such a thing to a bloke?  Are you trying to torture me?” he groaned, his green eyes shining as blue slowly began to creep back in.

“Nope.  We can’t afford to get too caught up in ourselves.  I have to get you off to the ‘Green Room’,” she responded, nearly bursting into laughter at the sour expression that crossed his handsome features.

“Fine but after, we’re going to finish what we started,” he hissed, causing pleasant heat to flush her body before he was getting to his feet and dragging her out the door.  As much as she hated to admit it, the end of the night couldn’t come quickly enough.


	8. Be Mine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Stuff happens! (And smut)

As soon as the pair stepped foot in the ‘Green Room’, Chris was whisking Tom away to meet some gorgeous starlet he had found.  Rolling her eyes at how much the actor was acting like the man he was trying to disguise, the quiet female moved to a more hidden area so she could stay unnoticed.  Unfortunately, she had been found before he had even sat down; Jeremy appearing out of nowhere to take a seat across from her.  “You have impeccable timing yanno,” the young woman sighed in playful exasperation, giving her ex a small grin when he simply handed her a glass of ice water.

“Mingling is more of a young man’s game, besides you looked a little lonely,” the older male replied smoothly, a small smile quirking the corners of his lips when she blushed very lightly.

“If Tom sees you with me, he’ll throw a fit,” Lissa warned, feeling at ease around her former fiance despite herself.  Something about Jeremy had always made her feel safe, as if he would never let harm come to her.  Even when they had just been friends, she had felt this way around him.  The only other person she felt as at ease around was currently having massive quantities of alcohol poured down his throat by his disguised and oblivious brother.

The older male across from her followed her gaze, his smile only growing.  “I look forward to it.  The man has no idea I’m not even in your radar anymore.  Even if I wanted to make a move, you would just brush me off and walk away,” the voice actor rumbled, his accented voice settling somewhere in the pit of her stomach despite herself.  Smiling as she turned her earthy gaze back to him, the brunette only shook her head.

“You sell yourself a bit short.  If you really tried, you could sweep me off my feet.  I guess I have to thank you for not even trying.  It’s not that I don’t still care for you...  Some part of me will always love you.  I just...  There’s something about him Jeremy,” the twenty-eight year old replied, her gaze traveling back to her grown ward as he tried to pry himself from ‘Chris’’ tight hold.  His blue green eyes were growing wide and frantic as they searched around the room, seemingly unable to see her in the dark corner she had chosen.

Seeing his growing distress, Melissa went to move; only to be stopped by her ex’s hand covering hers.  “Just a few moments luv.  He’s not all that anxious yet and I want to see something,” the graying actor urged, his own gaze fixed on his fellow.

“Jeremy, wha?” she began, only to be shushed by the Shakespearian actor holding up his hand.

“Just indulge me darling,” he murmured, his brown eyes fixed on Tom as the younger man’s distress grew by the second.  Soon the black haired star was tearing himself from his clueless, hidden sibling before speed walking around the room with his eyes wide and watchful.

“Hmmm, he’s certainly very concerned.  Much more than he should be,” the older thespian remarked as if to himself.  Then he was pushing his chair away from the table and getting up on his long legs, his dark eyes shining down at her fondly.

“You should go find Tom before he starts tearing the place apart,” he suggested before simply bowing and taking his leave.

Wondering just what that had been all about, the assistant got to her feet to look for Tom, who had just disappeared into a group of chatting people.  Politely shoving her way through with a shower of apologies, she saw a nearly frantic Loki about ready to start using his magic; no longer very concerned with maintaining his facade of humanity.  “Tom!  Hey!” She called cheerfully, doing her best to keep her fear out of her voice as she began walking toward the scared looking deity.  At first the taller male jumped in place before turning to look for her, his raised hand slowly falling to his side as the unseen electricity in the air slowly began to fade.

“Lissey,” he breathed before jogging to close the distance and sweep her into his shaking arms, not caring one bit for who saw the display or just how many people started to whisper.

“God... Lissey,” the shaking star gasped, his voice raw as he reluctantly lowered her to the ground.  Then he was grabbing her hand and dragging her bodily out of the crowded room, seemingly deaf to her heavy protests.

“Tom, I’m fine!  I was just in a part of the room that made it hard to see me.  There’s no reason to...,” the pale female began as he ushered her into the service elevator, only to be stopped by him slamming her into the wall as his lips met hers almost viciously.

“I can smell him on you Lissey.  He touched you,” rasped his deep voice, his hands growing colder and colder against her skin as his lips claimed her once more.

Making a small noise, the stunned handler went limp for a few seconds before her hands reached up to gently cup his face, pushing slightly to break the lip lock so she could answer.  “Loki, its okay.  We were just talking.  Why are you acting so strangely?” she whispered, a bit shocked by his rough behavior.  Her words seemed to bring him back with a crash and he backed off immediately, his bright green eyes full of guilt and a bit of leftover terror.

“I’m sorry, I...  I haven’t...  You just... you mean a lot to me,” the normally eloquent male stumbled, his jaw tensing as he seemed to fight with himself.

Melissa could only stare at him, comprehension slowly dawning on her face as she stopped to think.  While at the convention, it was so easy to forget just who she was really dealing with.  The being before her had been through a lot in his long life, had lost a lot of people he had cared about due to his heritage coming to light.  The fact that all of this happened aeons ago didn’t matter a whit when he was currently acting the events out for the big screen.  It only made sense he would be a bit paranoid now that she knew his secret, let alone had been a huge fan of his movies so far.  “I’m not going anywhere,” she reassured quietly, slowly closing the distance between them to wrap her arms around his lithe waist.

His scent hit her nose like a tidal wave, filling her core with a familiar, pleasurable ache.  Releasing a shaky huff, Lissa craned her neck to see her client giving her a downright animalistic glance.  “I wouldn’t let you go even if you wanted to,” his deep voice rasped, his eyes a bright green as his arms wrapped around her.  His words caused the ball of electricity forming within her to pulse heavily and the young woman found herself fighting for breath as their eyes locked.  There was a deeply possessive glint to her friend’s eyes and he released a low noise as he slowly lowered his lips to hers.  Their skin just brushed together when the elevator stopped and the doors opened with a cheery ‘ding’.

Melissa was out of the small container like a shot, heading right for their shared room with a hot blush on her marble cheeks.  She managed to just get inside before Loki was on her, closing the door behind him as he took long breaths in an effort to calm himself.  “I have wanted you for a long time Lissey, have wanted to claim you as mine as soon as I first saw you on the set of Thor.  The way you looked at me, I could tell you felt just as drawn to me.  I can even smell it every time I arouse you, did you know that?” he rasped his verdant eyes nearly glowing as he placed his hands on her shirt clad shoulders.

Licking her suddenly dry lips, the black clad female could only meet his eyes with hers as her heart thudded loudly in her ears.  What he was saying was highly out of character for the actor she had come to know but fit quite well with what she knew of Loki and the paradox made her head swim slightly.  As if sensing her confusion, the God snapped back to the Tom she knew with a small whimper.  “Christ, I’m sorry Lissey.  I shouldn’t have...,” he husked out, releasing her to back off as blue began to swirl back into his eyes.

Once again the handsome male looked at war with himself, obviously fighting against what he wanted to say for being polite.  Before she could reach out to comfort him, the norse deity wandered into the kitchen to begin making tea; an obvious tactic to distract himself.  “I can’t apologize enough for the things I said.  I need to have more control of myself and shouldn’t take out my personal issues on you and Jeremy,” he murmured as he moved, avoiding looking at her like a guilty child.  Just seeing him like this made her heart hurt for the male and she found herself in the kitchen, wrapping her arms around him before she realized what she was doing.

Loki went board stiff at first, then he sagged in relief; one of his large hands coming to rest over both of hers.  “Stop trying to hide yourself Loki.  You don’t have to soften your words and actions for me anymore.  Didn’t you tell me yourself that you never showed me a false face before?  Why start now?” she whispered, placing her cheek against his back as the dark haired actor chuckled.  Then he was whipping around the wrap her into his arms, his eyes meeting hers as he gave her a smirk that made her toes curl.

“Quite right my darling.  After all, you might very well enjoy hearing about how I dreamed of devouring your little quim every night since the day I met you,” he growled out, laughing outright when bright red exploded on her cheeks and she began to stutter.

“To... I mean Loki!  That’s hardly, I mean...  The very idea you would say such a...,” the flustered handler sputtered, before her gaze lowered and she mumbled something that the God holding her barely heard.

“Mmm care to repeat that dove,” he husked, his voice dripping with satisfaction as his hand went under her chin to force her to look up at him.

Flushing a deeper crimson as mortification and desire washed through her, the brunette licked her dry lips as their eyes locked.  “Ha... have you really...  Since the first day?” she whispered in a shy, unsteady voice, her heart doing its best to beat out of her torso as the electric ball within her core began to turn into a hot coil of sheer need.  The grin he gave her only served to send shocks of lust throughout her entire body, making her shudder slightly.

“Yes, just as you have.  I could smell it on you every time you came in, see it in all the small gestures you made to make me happy.  Do you know just how maddening it was to smell your need for me all over you and be wholly unable to act on it?” he replied in a heated tone just seconds before his lips slowly covered hers in a kiss that made her feel even more needy than she already did.

Then he was backing them up towards the beds, only stopping when Melissa nearly fell backwards onto his bed.  “L-loki,” she gasped against his mouth, feeling nervous and excited at the same time as he broke the kiss to give her neck a firm nibble.

“There have been many women who have desired me for many things.  My looks, my status, my fame, my magic.  You have been one of a very few who has been genuine with their desire towards me.  You didn’t want me for anything in particular, you just wanted  _ me _ ,” he husked, his breath coming out hot and heavy against her neck as his hands shook on the small of her back.

Lissa could only pant softly, her body quickly becoming overwhelmed with the sensations flowing through her.  Her hands rested on his clothed, muscular chest for lack of anywhere better to be as she shifted between shyness and wanting this to continue.  She had known the male for years before she had discovered his secret, had pined for him even.  To hear him saying all these things was like a dream come true but some part of her was hesitant to give in and just let this happen.  That part of her reasoned they had barely started their relationship, what kind of precedent would she be setting if they had sex this early on?  Yet the more the powerful being nipped and licked at her skin, the more her body’s voice was starting to override this.

The mischief maker currently pulling back to gaze in her eyes hadn’t been the only one fantasizing, as he had pointed out earlier.  Since the day she had met him, her dreams had been filled with what she had though was his character of Loki taking her demandingly while he commanded her to express her submission to him.  Now that the God himself was hovering over her, she found herself suddenly feeling a bit inadequate.  Before she had only had to compete with the starlets that flocked around him.  Now that she knew his secret, she realized she had to compete with actual Goddesses; a daunting realization for any female.  All of a sudden she felt rather plain in comparison and felt entirely too naked under his gaze.

As if sensing her hesitation, the achingly handsome male pulled himself off her to give her a confused look.  Before she could even begin to explain or brush off what happened, comprehension flashed in his clever eyes and a smile curled his lips.  “Are you needlessly comparing yourself to other females available to me?  If I wanted them, would I be here doing this?” he growled, his eye glittering as he slowly began to pull off his shirt.  Just the sight of his well built muscles made all her earlier hesitations disappear as her lust became a blazing fire in her lower belly.

Before either of them realized what was happening, Lissa was reaching up to take his lips in a needy kiss as one of her hands came up to wrap in his shoulder length hair.  At first the two of them were equally surprised by her actions, then Loki was simply melting into her with a soft sigh; his right hand coming up to cup her corresponding breast as his tongue lapped at her lips.  When she opened with a gasp, he plunged right in, exploring every inch of her mouth as he lowered them both to lay properly on his bed.  “I want you Lissey,” he rasped against her lips before simply using his magic to rid them both of the rest of their clothes.

Suddenly finding herself very naked under a very aroused deity, the young female instantly hid herself out of sheer instinct; only getting a gruff chuckle in response from the celebrity above her.  Then his lips were meeting hers gently as he carefully removed her arms from their protective posture and laid them by her sides.  “Relax,” he sighed against her mouth as he settled between her legs, using his left thigh to open her to him.  Startled at the sudden change in position, the skittish assistant tried to jolt away; only to have a pair of hands grab her hips and hold her firmly in place.

“Shhh,” he soothed against her lips before softening his kiss as his hips tilted forward, resting his pulsing erection against her weeping junction.

“Odin’s beard, are you this wet just because of me,” he rasped as he pulled away to rest his lips on the crook of her neck.  Then he was moving slowly, his length easily gliding along her slit while never entering.

Soon Lissa was moaning heavily, her hips moving slowly in rhythm with his as her hands came to rest on his upper back.  The shuddering Norse God only released a gruff sound against her neck before beginning to move faster along her opening.  Arching her back due to the sensations raging through her body, the young woman whimpered his given name as she raked her nails down his back.  That was when he began thrusting against her in earnest, his breath hot against her neck as he unerringly brushed her clit; causing the hot coil within her to grow ever and ever tighter.

Then they were exploding in unison, Melissa gasping his name at the same time he growled hers; his hot semen spilling out onto her flat stomach.  They stayed like that for a few seconds while Loki tried to gather his strength.  Avoiding her gaze, the panting male rolled to lay beside her, looping an arm around her to hold her against him.  “I’m sorry Lissey.  It was just that...  Smelling your arousal and the fact that  _ he _ touched you...  It made me need to place a claim on you in some way,” the Jötunn born Asgardian rasped breathlessly, a pale arm slung over his eyes as he avoided looking at her.

Lissa could only look at him stunned, trying to come to terms with what had just happened.  She and a man she had a crush on for years had just been intimate together without having sex.  Blushing heavily, the flustered professional rubbed the back of her neck as she bit her lower lip.  It wasn’t that she regretted what they had done, it was more that she was worried about what Loki’s reaction was going to be to her being so willing.  “I-it’s okay I just wonder what you must think of me.  Sex without even a first date, you must think I’m the loosest female on Midgard,” she expressed in a lightly teasing tone, feeling a slight jolt of fear when the God beside her gave her a heavy glare.

“Don’t.  Stop right there.  We are both adults here.  Adults who consented to an encounter we had both wanted for some time.  I refuse to let you refer to yourself as a whore because you made one exception for me,” he whispered in a no nonsense tone before placing a kiss on her slightly sweaty forehead.

Giggling slightly, the young handler let her gaze travel to his before giving him a shy kiss in return.  “Says the guy who was just apologizing for it,” she pointed out, giving him a smirk.  Loki only rolled his eyes before turning on his side to envelop her body with his own.

“Let’s get some rest.  We only have a bit more before this whole thing is done and we have the place to ourselves for a couple days,” he urged as he used his magic to clean them both and pull the covers up around them.

“Then I can really begin to court you,” rasped his voice as the lights went out, plunging them both into darkness.


	9. An End and a Beginning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Sorry about the delay. A few personal issues came up but things are better now.

As the final panel began to wind down, Lissa could practically taste ‘Tom’s’ impatience.  He was developing quite a twitch at the continuing questions and looked on the verge of simply running off the stage prematurely.  It was only a mixture of professionalism and the plea she had given him earlier that kept him on that platform.  As she watched him fidget, however, she honestly began to regret making a request that was turning out to be so hard for him.  Even now her words played in her head.   _ ‘I refuse to put your reputation on the line.  We can’t say you’re sick when you aren’t.  It’s just one panel anyway.  Just get through that and we will have the rest of the time to do whatever you want,’ _ she had said.

As her chocolate gaze landed on the white knuckled fists in his lap, she felt guilt twist a knife cruelly in her heart.  It was only the determination that shone in his set jaw that kept her from rushing onto the stage with a fake emergency on her lips.  If the panel didn’t overrun time, they only had a few more minutes left.  Just a few more minutes until she and the too handsome male out there would no longer be client and boss.  Just the thought of it made nerves and desire flush her body at once, making her feel hot and cold at the same time.  “Here, drink some of this,” urged a too familiar voice as a cool, plastic cylinder was pressed into her palm.

“Thanks Jeremy,” she sighed,” taking the water bottle and downing half of it in one swallow.

“You really need to keep an eye on your hydration,” came his concerned response, making her smile despite her conflicted emotions.

“You keep telling me that but I really am fine.  I’ve been doing this for years and I know my own limits,” she replied, giving the man behind her a small smile over her right shoulder.

“I know Lissey but this isn’t the first time I’ve seen you feeling faint at this event.  Are you telling me there’s another cause for your weakness?” her former fiance prodded playfully, a mischievous look on his noble features.

_ ‘If I didn’t know any better, I could almost say  _ **_he_ ** _ was Loki,’ _ the brunette thought to herself sardonically as she rolled her eyes in response.

“You should know the answer to that.  You better scram before Tom sees you.  He’s on edge as it is,” she said out loud, keeping a peripheral eye on her ward.  Thankfully the star was still too occupied by the crowd to pay much attention to her.

A warm chuckle was the only response she got before a hand pressed onto her upper back briefly.  Then he was gone, leaving only the scent of his woodsy cologne behind.  Even now the scent of him had a pavlovian response on her body, making the flames of desire rekindle in her belly.  Heaving a sigh, she returned her focus to the stage as the last questions were asked; the hidden God growing more and more twitchy the closer the ending got.  As soon as the announcer was finished thanking them for a great con, the dark haired male was off like a shot; wrapping his arms around her as soon as he got close enough.  He inhaled her scent deeply, releasing a low growl as his hold tightened slightly.  “He touched you again,” came a raspy snarl before the much taller man was dragging her behind him at a fast clip.

Before she knew it, they were in the service elevator; her back pressed against the back wall as he hovered over her.  Green now blazed clearly in his eyes as his slightly rough hands cupped her pale face.  Then he was taking her lips gently, a clear contradiction of the fire she had seen burning in his ever changing orbs.  As soon as she gathered her thoughts enough to begin to respond, the deity was breaking the kiss to rest his forehead against hers as he seemed to struggle with himself once more.  “I’m sorry luv, I don’t usually move this fast.  I at least have a date with a woman before I kiss them, let alone what happened last night.  There’s just something about you, I can’t help but feel...” he rasped, heaving a sigh as he seemed unable to continue.

“This going right means a lot to me Melissa.  You need to tell me if you aren’t comfortable with the rate things are moving,” Loki requested, reluctantly releasing her to put some distance between them.  Every muscle in his lithe body seemed to twitch slightly as they stared at eachother, the elevator slowly coming to a stop.

Giving him a smile, the young assistant reached forward to take his hand in hers; feeling a warm ache pulse through her womb as his fingers curled around hers.  When the door slid open, he lead them forward and right to their shared room; closing the door behind them as they entered.  With a wave of his hand, they were transported to another place entirely; leaving Lissa’s head swimming a bit.  Instead of the slightly cramped, two bed suite, they were now in what seemed to be a log cabin of sorts.  “Something tells me we aren’t in Kansas anymore,” the twenty-eight year old found herself blurting, earning an outright chuckle from her companion.

“Technically we’re in Colorado ‘Dorothy’.  Somewhere up in the Rockies.  I’ve had this place for quite a while actually.  I come here when I want to be alone,” growled a familiar voice in her ear, making her shudder slightly at the mixture of his accent and the deep rasp.

Then he was moving away from her to turn on some lights as well as turn on the heat, leaving the stunned female feeling slightly bereft.  She was getting far too used to his scent as well as the feeling of being around him but she honestly couldn’t find it in herself to regret any of this.  “Thank’s for bringing me here.  This place sounds like it means a lot to you,” she whispered, her eyes traveling around the large living room they had appeared in.  It was open and spacious with a large couch sitting in front of a nicely sized fireplace.  Under the couch was a plush, white fur rug that looked genuine and the rest of the floor was highly polished hardwood.

Moving her gaze from the couch that was meant for either comfort or cuddling, Lissa saw a smaller area off to the right.  This area appeared to be an open study of sorts, having a soft looking, brown leather armchair and a wall of books.  There was even an arm style lamp next to the comfy looking piece of furniture; bringing forth a far too cute picture of Loki curled up with a good book, a pair of glasses perched on his nose and his cheek propped up on his left fist.  The image was so clear, she even saw his midnight tresses hanging slightly in his handsome face; his expression soft while being intensely concentrated.  Shaking off the image that made her heart ache, the brunette moved past the two rooms and into an open kitchen/dining area.

A small, homey table with four chairs sat perpendicular to the kitchen area, giving the rather large room a more comfortable feeling.  Loki himself was currently in the kitchen, making a pot of tea for them both to share.  “Have a seat at the table my darling and don’t worry about our luggage.  The bags are upstairs in our rooms,” he announced, not even turning to look at her as he set the teapot on the burner and turned it on.  Blinking a bit and reminding herself he’s a God, Melissa sat at a table her grandmother would have in her kitchen nook and tried to gather her wits.  It was all happening so fast, her mind was kind of spinning.

All of a sudden a steaming cup was placed in front of her, startling her out of herself and she looked up to see Loki giving her a concerned glance.  “I know everything that happened this weekend must be a lot for you to take in but nothing about me has really changed,” he assured before moving around the table and taking a seat across from her.  Even with the table between them, his knee touched hers; making her insides flutter pleasantly.

“Well a few thing have but I more chalk that up to our heightened sense of intimacy and trust.  You act more like your actual self around me and a lot less like the Tom persona you created.  It was a bit confusing at first but I think I like the real you better,” she confessed quietly, eyeing her tea to keep her eyes off his.  Right now the feeling of his gaze on her would be far too intense.

“I like your answer.  Being polite and holding myself back for the sake of others, it has been more tiring than I knew.  It feels nice to have someone that knows my secret, someone I can share my real personality with.  Don’t get me wrong, Tom is me but much more constrained by social norms.  I think more about what I say before I say it,” he explained, one of his hands coming to rest over hers.

When his thumb brushed against her skin, she came very close to melting in her chair.  The air in the room was quickly becoming heavy with a pleasant tension, the light tingling on her skin not helped one bit by his mouthwatering scent.  “You  _ still _ hold yourself back with me.  Sometimes it feels like you want say something to me but pull back at the last second out of fear.  I don’t want you to hold back around me anymore Loki, no matter what it is.  You don’t have to temper your words like I’m some shrinking violet,” she returned, thinking back to the man she had seen in the movies that were becoming all too real.  The chuckle she got in response made the embers of lust in her lower belly come ablaze, making her rub her thighs together subconsciously as the flames became a dull ache.

“I didn’t want to scare you away by saying too much too early in our relationship.  My feelings for you are... quite strong.  There have been very few who have taken so much care in making sure I’m comfortable and you went well above and beyond the call of duty quite few times.  Don’t think I forgot about the night I was having nightmares non-stop and you curled up with me despite us only being boss and client.  You doing that meant more to me than you will ever know,” Loki reminded her, sliding over into a chair that was right beside her.

Lissa could only swallow thickly in response, her heart racing as she kept her earthy gaze on the top of the small, round table.  She remembered that night clearly.  He had just gotten done filming a scene for ‘The Avengers’ and he had plopped into his bed utterly exhausted.  It wasn’t long after that he had begun to toss and turn, whimpering at unseen terrors.  Unable to take seeing him like that, the young assistant had cautiously cuddled up beside him in the hopes of quieting his nightmares.  To her shock, ‘Tom’ had wrapped both arms tightly around her and had basically used her for a teddy bear the rest of the night.  When he had awoken the next morning, he had been a mixture of shocked and a little pleased.

Shaking herself from her memories, the brunette found herself wincing at what those nightmares could have been about.  With the knowledge she had now, it made sense why her curling up with him would mean so much.  “You just looked so sad and scared.  I felt I needed to help in some way,” she murmured quietly, spinning her teacup and moving her gaze to the amber fluid within.  A loose arm wrapped around her shoulders and the taller man hummed in response, his intoxicating scent filling her nostrils.

“Acting out those scenes had brought a few old memories to the surface.  Memories I would much rather forget,” sighed his deep voice in her ear as his large hand began to rub up and down her arm.

“I can only imagine.  I bet those movies only cover a fraction of the harm done to you,” she replied, not missing the slight tensing of his hand.

“Let’s talk about more pleasant things.  Come join me by the fire luv,” he suggested before slowly pulling away, the ghost of his touch making her skin tingle.

Taking a deep breath to gather her courage, she left her teacup on the table and joined her companion on the couch.  To say she was nervous was an understatement, her heart racing in her chest as she followed him back into the attached living room.  As she watched, the raven haired male made a fire appear in the fireplace with a lazy flick of his wrist.  Then he was sinking down on the deep red couch, gesturing for her to join him with a gentle smile.  Giving a nervous grin in return, the twenty-eight year old took a seat at the opposite end of the couch; her nerves not permitting anything closer.  Unfortunately, Loki didn’t seem inclined to allow that.

Before Lissa knew what was happening, she found herself being levitated and moved to settle by his side; allowing him to loop an arm around her shoulders once more.  “Forgive me but I find this much more comfortable,” he murmured, giving her a smile that made her insides quiver.  Taking a deep breath to calm herself, the handler leaned against her former charge and allowed herself to relax.  After the whirlwind of a weekend she had, having some downtime was really nice; especially with the current company she had.

“S-so do I,” she whispered shyly, finding it much too comfortable in the niche of his arm; one of her cheeks resting on his well built, clothed chest.

“I’m glad.  I  _ want _ you to be comfortable.  It feels nice to hold you like this and know I’m not overstepping any boundaries,” sighed the relaxing deity beside her, contentment shining in his green-blue eyes as he gazed down at her fondly.

Feeling warm and happy herself, Lissa gave him a fond smile of her own; remembering all the things she had been through with this man in all the time as his assistant.  They had grown to be very close, good friends, ‘Tom’ often being almost protective of her when someone asked what she was doing at a certain place.  In time, he insisted on her being his shadow; something she couldn’t do while he was dating other women.  As silly as it was, it hurt something deep inside her to see him flirting with another female despite the fact she really had no right to feel like that.  Even then, there had been something between them; something that was even stronger now that she had decided to actually pursue a relationship.  It honestly scared her how easy it would be to fall for this man.

A finger under her chin broke her out of her thoughts and she found Loki much closer than he had been before, his lips a bare inch from touching hers as he loomed over her.  “What are you thinking about that has you looking so happy?” he asked, his smooth voice holding a slight hint of something that shot right to her core and made her shudder subconsciously.

“Just, remembering working with you for all these years.  Thinking about how you basically began turning me into your little shadow over time.  I think you started seeing me more than Luke at one point,” she teased nervously in an effort to break the strange tension building between them.

“No offense to Luke, but I wasn’t becoming interested in him.  I missed you every time you disappeared you know.  Especially this time.  It felt like...  I thought I had truly lost you that time Lissey but I had no idea why.  If I had stopped to think, had paid more attention to the small things,” he whispered in an emotion filled voice as he squeezed his eyes shut.  Then his lips were meeting hers, one of his hands moving up to cradle the back of her head tenderly.

Melissa melted utterly into the embrace, wrapping her arms around his neck as she licked timidly at his lips.  He opened to her immediately with a low growl that made the coil of desire within her tighten almost painfully, his tongue meeting hers like a lover while his other hand came up behind her lower back.  Then he was breaking the kiss slowly, panting heavily with the effort of remaining a gentleman and making sure he wasn’t overstepping boundaries.  An action that was obviously taxing to him if she had to just go by the strained look on his oval face alone.  Before he could begin to apologize, she was reaching up to pull him down into another kiss; earning a shocked but appreciative noise from the celebrity.

Then it seemed like a switch had been flipped in his head and he became much more dominant, pressing into her with a low growl as his tongue delved into her willing mouth.  His hand roved over her body, stopping to cup and massage her breasts as he broke the kiss to nip at her neck.  “Lissa, Christ I...,” he gasped, his chest heaving as green began to dominate the blue in his expressive eyes.

“I know Loki.  This is much too fast but...,” she began, only to be interrupted by a moan bubbling past her lips as she arched her back almost wantonly.

This small noise seemed to cause a strange response in the otherworldly male above her, seeming to make him stiffen as his eyes dilated.  Then they were in his bedroom, the quick scene change making her feel a bit confused and off balance.  Before she could focus too much on the disorientation, the dark haired male was taking her lips once more; more urgency in his kiss as he settled himself between her legs.  “Gods, I can smell your need for me.  You must be soaking your panties,” he rumbled, removing their clothes with a wave of his hand and drawing a shocked gasp from the female beneath him.

Instead of being violated or embarrassed, Lissa only found herself more turned on and clutched desperately onto the muscled male currently plundering her mouth.  Pulling away from her mouth with a low rumble, the pale being latched onto her left nipple; his tongue swirling around her sensitive flesh and drawing small mewls from her as she writhed under him.  “Oh fuck, ahn,” she gasped as her legs came up to wrap around his waist, effectively pressing her weeping slit against his pulsing manhood.  This drew a gruff sound from the deity and he released her flesh to look in her eyes as he ground himself against her.

“I need you Lis,” he breathed, his forehead resting on her shoulder as he rubbed himself along her silky folds.

“I n-need you too Loki,” the shaking female breathed, arching into him as she felt the writhing coil within her pulse almost painfully.

“Forgive me for this,” he whispered as he rested his lips on the crook of her neck.

Before she could ask, he was slowly entering her; stretching her more than she had ever been before.  It was all she could do not to tense up and make the pain worse, breathing slowly through her nose as he slowly hilted.  Then he was breaking through her barrier, drawing a small whimper from her and a grunt of shock from him.  “I... I always thought but... Jeremy,” the God above her gasped, stilling as she slowly adjusted to his incredible size.

“He... he was very old fashioned...  W-wanted to wait unt-til...,” she began, gasping when Loki began to move gently.

“Enough, doesn’t matter.  This just allows me to truly make you mine,” he husked against her neck as pleasure slowly began to overtake pain.

Soon the room was filled with the sounds of Melissa’s moans and Loki’s low growls, his hips moving in slow circles as he took her tenderly.  Then, as if some button had been pressed, Loki began taking her faster; his breath huffing hotly against her neck as his pelvis snapped into hers.  It was all she could do to hold onto consciousness as her vision filled with white.  He was whispering something but she wasn’t aware of what.  All she was aware of was the molten pleasure burning its way through her veins.  Then she was exploding as pain bloomed in her neck, the feeling of his hot seed filling her at the same time.  She had barely enough time to wonder if he had bitten her before she simply blacked out and knew no more.


	10. Burning Cold

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Sorry for the delay with this. I had Pneumonia and had to take a long break to get better.

Loki awoke to a very familiar and wholly unwelcome feeling under his skin.  Groaning at the warmth he could already feel radiating up from his body, the deity got to his feet to run into the attached bathroom.  Already he could feel the telltale sensitivity and he growled in outright frustration.  Of all the times, nature had to rear her ugly head  _ now _ .  Locking the door behind him, the muscled male shucked off his sleeping pants to reveal a very angry erection.  Gritting his teeth, the black haired God huffed through his nose as he worked to relieve his problem; knowing full well this was only the beginning of something much worse.

To say she was startled to wake up alone would be a huge understatement.  Lissa was downright scared for a few moments until she heard movement in the bathroom.  Relaxing slightly now that she knew he hadn’t suddenly been taken away by his brother or Odin, the brunette stretched languidly as she got out of bed.  Although last night had happened rather quickly for both of them, the handler couldn’t find it within her to regret any of it.  Smiling at the mere memory, the twenty-eight year old moved out of the bedroom to make them both some breakfast.

The pajama clad assistant was just putting the finishing touches on their omelettes when a fairly disheveled God of mischief came stumbling into the room.  His blue green eyes were now a deep jade green and hectic color was splashed over his pale cheeks as he leaned heavily on the door frame.  “Loki!  Are you okay?  Sit down,” she gasped out, concern quickly replacing her relaxed mood as she took in just how ill he looked.  In fact, his chest was heaving as he breathed rather heavily, his hands curling into tight fists as he made his way to the table.  Once he was seated safely, the twenty-eight year old’s mother hen mode went into full swing.  In a rush, she brought the ill looking male a glass of water and his plate of food; only taking her seat once she was satisfied he had been taken care of.

“I’m fine Lissey, just a bit sick at the moment.  I’m sure it’ll pass,” he replied neutrally, beginning to eat.  It was only the extreme pallor of his skin that let her know he wasn’t being entirely truthful.

“You don’t look fine.  In fact, you’re starting to worry me,” she countered, her earthy gaze full of concern.  Despite how pale he seemed, he seemed to be covered in a fine sheen of sweat.

“It’s really nothing, I promise.  Now I have a few things I need to finish up.  Will you be okay by yourself?” came his quick reply as he locked eyes with her, every muscle in his lithe body tense.

Lissa could only stare at the obviously ill male, giving him a light frown to show him she wasn’t amused by his attempt at deflection.  She had been around him long enough to tell when something about him was off.  Instead of pushing it, however, she decided to just let it go.  He was probably keeping whatever was wrong to himself for good reason and would tell her if it became a concern.  “Yeah, yeah I’m sure I’ll find something to entertain myself with,” she sighed, giving him a look that said she wasn’t fooled for one moment.  The shameful glance he gave her in response made her feel slightly better and she gave him a small smile before moving into the living room.  At least now she knew he realized she wasn’t about to let this drop.

Sighing, the brunette plopped herself onto the couch and looked up at the huge flat screen mounted above the fireplace.  Reaching for the remote beside her, she smiled at the sound of the disguised male cleaning up their dishes.  Then he was leaning over the couch to press a kiss to her cheek, the heat radiating off him nearly making her gasp in alarm.  Before he could run off, she was grabbing the sleeve of the blue shirt he wore.  “Nothing to worry about?  Are you  _ kidding _ me?!  You feel like you’re running a fever,” Melissa protested, her heart slamming into her ribs as fear for the male filled her.  Loki only sighed before moving to stand closer.

“I promise, if it gets worse I will tell you what is going on.  Right now, I’m just praying it will go away,” he sighed, his green eyes holding a frustrated shine.  Then he was gently removing her hand from his sleeve, pressing a gentle kiss on top of the skin.

“I swear its really nothing dangerous.  Now, if you will excuse me, I have a few phone calls to make,” he husked, giving her a pleading glance before moving off toward the bedroom.

Nibbling her lower lip as she watched her former client, Lissa sighed as she switched her focus to the dark TV.  As worried as she was, she would just have to take his word that he wasn’t as sick as he seemed.  Turning on the flat screen, the assistant flipped channels until she found a cartoon show that she wanted to watch.  What she eventually chose would have made anyone groan but she found the cheesiness endearing.  Besides, it had been years since she had seen the animated adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog.  Giggling at the opening animation, she found herself desperately wishing for some popcorn.

Huffing, the tense deity paced the floor of his bedroom as he ran a shaking hand through his raven locks.  Every moment that passed, he felt a slight increase in his discomfort as well as the heat roiling under his porcelain skin.  “Why now of all times,” he snarled in a pained voice, his hands fumbling to undo his pants and free his aching manhood.  Then he was closing his eyes as his hand wrapped around his heated flesh, a whimper bubbling up from his chest as he worked to relieve himself.  Despite his dearest wishes, it looked as if he was entering into heat; a condition he hadn’t suffered in a decade.  Groaning, Loki gritted his teeth in irritation as he felt himself reach completion embarrassingly quickly.  Unfortunately this seemed to have little effect on the need boiling in his loins, drawing a strained noise from the panting celebrity.  He was in for a very long day.

It had been hours since her former ward had disappeared into his room, hours and she hadn’t seen so much as a hair of him.  Despite his reassurances to the contrary, Lissa kept finding herself going back to the heat she had felt radiating off his skin.  What if he had passed out from a fever and she was just sitting here watching SpongeBob?  Nibbling her lower lip, the concerned assistant got to her feet and moved toward the room the actor had disappeared into.  Raising her hand to knock, she stopped when she heard a sexual sounding moan come from the other side.  Just hearing it made a flush of want shoot straight to her nethers and she found herself backing away from the closed entry with a mortified expression.  Unfortunately, escaping quietly back to the living room just wasn’t in the cards.

As if he could smell her, which she knew he could when she thought back on this moments later, the dark haired actor threw open his door; a wild look on his face.  The well built male was completely naked, his slightly sweaty chest heaving as he looked at her like a starving animal.  His pale skin was now tinted a faint blue and his tribal markings appearing faintly on his head and arms.  Just seeing him like this made the nervous handler take a step back, this action causing something predatory to spark in his red orbs.  “L-loki, what the Hell is going on here?” she gasped out.  Instead of answering, the taller deity only closed his eyes and released a husky growl as he began to advance towards her slowly.

“Loki!” she tried once again, her voice holding a slightly frightened edge as she began to back away from the naked man.

This time something in her voice seemed to snap him out of it, the handsome male shaking his head as his hands came up to cradle his temples.  “Lisssaaaaa, Gods I need to get you out of here,” he gasped out in a pained tone that practically tore her heart out of her chest.

“No, you  _ need _ to tell me what the fuck is going on!  You’re fucking scaring me!” The brunette nearly screamed, her voice holding a slightly hysterical edge.  Suddenly his entire energy changed as he enveloped her in his arms, soothing noises rumbling up from his chest.

“I’m sorry luv, so sorry.  All of this must be getting overwhelming for you.  I just wish I didn’t have to add to everything you’re experiencing right now.  I am... going through something rather embarrassing right now.  I don’t really know how to explain it but its perfectly harmless... for the most part,” he stumbled, only serving in confusing the jeans wearing female even more.

“Please, just tell me.  I can’t take much more skirting around the subject,” the twenty-eight year old pleaded, burrowing her face into his still naked chest in an attempt to calm herself down.  Thankfully his scent acted like a tonic, soothing her anxiety enough for her to think rationally.

“Uh, how much do you know about animal mating cycles?” Came his highly confusing reply, making her blink a few times as she tried to reconcile what she just heard.

“What on Earth does that have to do with anything?” the stunned professional asked as their eyes locked.

“Just... answer the question please,” the dark haired star pleaded, the green in his eyes fading slightly to allow blue back in.

“W-well I know that all animals have a time of the month where they feel the drive to....,” she began, trailing off as her gaze travelled to his still very aroused manhood.  It was then realization decided to wallop her upside the head like a brick and she looked up at her companion with a shocked expression.  Loki only gave her a deeply embarrassed look before heaving a long, deep sigh.

“I think you’ve figured it out.  Due to my... heritage I go into a mating cycle of my own on occasion.  They are very few and far between, only happening every ten years or so, but they still happen,” he confessed quietly, his expression full of shame as he avoided looking at her.  To his credit, he didn’t release her or try to run away.  Instead he just stood there with a tense expression, his sea-green eyes meeting hers steadily as he awaited her reaction.

“S-so, that’s what’s wrong with you?” the young woman ventured, fiddling with the hem of the t-shirt she wore as she tried to absorb the information he gave her.  It made sense, after all even humans went through a heat cycle of their own.  That somehow didn’t make the situation any less awkward.  Whatever was happening to him was a lot stronger than anything she went through, judging by his still angry looking erection.

Said organ was standing from a nest of dark pubes, its uncircumcised tip pointing at her almost like an accusation.  Pre pearled at the tip despite the seriousness of their current discussion, making Lissa realize he must be in a considerable amount of pain.  The fact that he was able to hold this conversation while obviously painfully aroused honestly impressed her.  “Yes Lissey.  That is precisely what’s wrong with me.  I will be in a heightened state of arousal for about a week.  I will be nigh insatiable and having you here during that wouldn’t be advised,” he responded quietly, his blue green eyes full of reluctance as his arms slowly dropped from around her slightly pudgy body.

His words had an unusual effect on the handler, causing a warm rush of lust to wash over her body in a sensual wave.  Probably the hottest actor as well as the world’s most desired villain at the moment was being reduced to a sex fiend for a week.  The very idea of it would cause most women’s knees to go weak.  Lissa was no exception, very nearly becoming a puddle of mortification and searing want as she stared at him with wide, brown eyes.  Half of her wanted to go home like he was suggesting while another, much more insistent half of her very much wanted to crawl into his bed for the week and not get out until he was done with her.  Head swimming from just how fast shit continued to unravel around her, the stunned female did her best to organize her jumbled thoughts.  “...could leave at any time,” rumbled a familiar, slightly raspy baritone, snapping her out of herself with a jolt.

“Wh-what?” she whispered in a dazed tone, doing her best to focus on the still naked God in front of her.

“I said that if you wanted to leave I would understand.  We could leave at any time,” the pale man in front of her replied quietly, his large hands curled into shaking fists as he waited for her response.

Only able to stare at him in return, the stunned female tried to gather her wits enough to form a coherent answer.  Inside, she was being torn in entirely two different directions and she found herself having to very seriously take things into consideration.  Things were already moving too fast in their relationship as it was, she really didn’t want the proud male to think she was easy.  Yet the much more stronger voice of her instinct to want to help him screamed at her for even thinking of leaving him like this.  It was fairly obvious he was in a considerable amount of discomfort and that would only increased by her absence.  The fact that he needed her was clear in the tense lines of his built body.  In fact, he almost looked on the verge of falling apart in front of her; his chest heaving slightly as he began to shake.

Closing her earthy orbs, she took a deep breath and calmed her thoughts before making a decision.  “I’m not going to leave you alone like this,” the determined femme whispered, very nearly giggling when the God of Mischief’s jaw nearly dropped to the bare wood of the floor.  Then he was clearing his throat as he ran a hand through his inky hair, a painfully hopeful expression briefly crossing his oval features.  This was quickly replaced by resignation and a slight bitterness as he shook his head.

“You have no idea what you’re saying.  You will end up pregnant by the end of this as I will have no control over myself.  I will probably end up being a lot rougher with you than I normally would and there will be a lot of biting.  Do you still want to stay?” husked his slightly deeper voice as his eyes flashed a steely blue for a split second.  A slight sneer curled his upper lip for a brief second but it quickly vanished as he forced himself to maintain control over his emotions.

Lissa could only stare at him with a slightly horrified expression on her pale face.  Pregnant?!  They barely knew eachother!  Let alone the fact that their relationship was barely getting started!  Carrying a child without the stability of a sturdy foundation, that would be the height of lunacy.  Just before she opened her mouth to say she should go back after all, she saw the expression on his too handsome face.  The mighty creature looked like he was bracing himself for a terrifying blow, his shoulders raised and his jaw tensed as he steadily met her gaze.  Just seeing him like that made her resolve waver and she heaved a sigh.  Would carrying his child really be that awful?  Besides, Loki was a man of honor.  He would care for the child even if the relationship fell apart.

Groaning at the decision she was being forced to make, the twenty-eight year old actually found herself weighing the pros and cons of the situation.  She would be putting her body through utter hell without even the guarantee he would be around to help her.  On the other hand, she would permanently have a piece of a man she was pretty sure she loved very deeply.  A fact that shook her very foundation.  No matter how this turned out, she loved him; a revelation that frightened her.  “Maybe... maybe I  _ want _ to carry your child,” she whispered in a quiet voice, barely able to look up at him as she waited for his response.  Her heart pounded in her chest as she closed her eyes, fear and embarrassment waging war within her.  She was so anxious, in fact, that when a pair of hands landed on her shoulders she very nearly flew to the ceiling.

Looking up, she saw a pair of emotion filled blue green eyes staring down at her; tears standing in the rims.  “You... you would... even if... oh Lissey I...  I love you so much,” he rasped, seconds before his mouth was devouring hers.  Before she even knew what was happening, the stronger actor was scooping her up into his arms and carrying her into his room; his lips never leaving hers as he laid her down on the sheets.  He only broke the kiss when he straddled her hips, his eyes searching hers despite his very obvious need.

“If at any time it becomes too much for you just say stop.  I promise you, no matter how lost in lust I seem, that I will stop immediately,” he whispered, every muscle in his body shuddering from the effort of holding himself back.  Lissa only had time to nod in response before his lips were taking hers again much more harshly, her clothes disappearing with a wave of his hand.

“Oh my darling forgive me but I need you.  I need you so badly.  It will only hurt for a moment,” he whispered in a strained voice, resting his tip aagainst her unprepared entrance.  Before she could protest, he was pushing forward; drawing a pained hiss as he entered her semi-dry channel.

“Shh, shh.  I’m so sorry,” he whispered again, one of his hands moving to the hood of her clit and beginning to rub.

Thankfully the action had the desired effect, soon causing small ripples of pleasure to roll through her as he slowly hilted.  “Ah, fuck.  I’m afraid I won’t last long my darling but don’t worry, I will be far from done with you,” he assured in a deep rasp that made her insides quiver pleasantly.  Then he was moving, releasing a noise that made her core clench pleasantly.  Placing his teeth over her racing jugular, he snapped his hips into hers as he bit down hard.  All too soon he was spilling into her, just like he had warned, leaving her feeling a bit unfulfilled as he hovered over her panting.

To her shock, he was still hard within her; letting her know he hadn’t been exaggerating about the second thing he had said either.  Sure enough, once he caught his breath, he was moving once again; soft growls leaving him as he took her much more slowly than before.  Moaning quietly, the brunette wrapped her arms around his neck and placed her forehead on his shoulder as she allowed the pleasant sensations to wash over her.  Every stroke of him in her passage felt like heaven and soft keens of his name left her lips as she felt herself slowly being coaxed into a very powerful orgasm.  “Cum for me my treasure, cum with me,” he begged in a much deeper voice as his now green eyes focused on her sweaty face.

“Oh Lokiiii,” she gasped out, her head tipping back as pleasure overcame her and everything within her tightened and spasmed at once.  The taller man only groaned as he came once again, filling her with his hot seed.

“Mine, mine,” he whispered against her neck before he was moving again, letting the exhausted female know she was in for a very long night.


	11. Consequences

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Hope you guys liked that last chapter. There is a lot more to come!

Groaning in her sleep, Lissa cracked an aching eye open as she tried to remember why she felt like she had been hit by a truck.  It was when a familiar, well muscled arm wrapped around her waist and a certain scent filled her nose that she remembered just what she had been through in mere hours.  Loki had been nigh insatiable, taking her over and over until she had finally passed out from sensory overload.  Licking her dry lips, the drowsy assistant mentally took stock of all the aches and pains littering her body.  Without even looking, it felt like she had been bitten in several places and her womanhood was sore and throbbing.  As sore as she felt there would be no way she would be able to move to get herself water or even go to the bathroom.

Knowing she would have to awaken the person that had done this to her and risk another round so soon, the twenty-eight year old tried to roll over; getting a bolt of pain shooting through her abused core for her troubles.  Whimpering, she closed her eyes and breathed through her nose as she prayed for the pain to fade quickly.  As if sensing this, the male behind her stirred; inhaling deeply as he lifted himself slightly.  “Lissey?  Are you okay?  Your scent... it smells like you’re in pain,” came his husky, sleep muzzed voice, making a slight bit of warmth bloom in her chest.

“Mmm, yeah.  Last night was pretty... wild,” she found herself responding playfully, feeling the bed shift as the God sat up fully.

“Last night...  That really... Oh sweetheart I’m so sorry.  Stay still,” he murmured, his voice thick with guilt as the hand over her lower stomach began to tense.  Then she was filled with a warm sensation, all her aches and pains slowly fading to nothing.

“Wh-what are you doing?” the stunned brunette whispered, blinking as even the pain between her legs went away.

“Healing you.  You should have told me to stop when you were getting tired.  You gave me quite a scare when you passed out,” the dark haired deity admonished, his anger more directed at himself as he removed his hand from her and got off the bed.

Then his strong arms were lifting her, the taller actor carrying her carefully to the bathroom.  “I remember being more occupied with saying other things, let alone what you were doing to my body,” she quipped, hoping to see a smile on his strained face.  She wasn’t let down, a small grin curling his lips as a chuckle bubbled up from his chest.

“I suppose that’s true.  Still, I shall let you rest as much as I can today.  While I’m having increased sexual urges I don’t wish to cause you pain,” he replied, turning on the bath with a slight flick of his fingertips.

“Well I appreciate that.  Even with my wounds and pain gone I don’t think I would be up to much activity,” the exhausted female sighed, watching as the tub filled rather quickly.  Once it was full enough, Loki turned off the water with his magic before slowly setting her in the hot substance.

Lissa felt all of her muscles relax as soon as the fluid enveloped her, she allowed her head to loll back as her brown eyes slid closed.  It was only the touch of a washcloth on her skin that made her jump and open her eyes, her jaw dropping when she saw her former client washing her gently.  Blue green eyes met chocolate, his eyes shining with a deep affection that very nearly took her breath away.  As the slightly rough material moved over her milky skin, the young woman found herself getting lost in his orbs.  They were shining with a deep love and loyalty, something that should bother her this early on but only filled her with a warm contentment.  “Loki...,” she murmured in a shy tone, butterflies fluttering in her stomach due to what she was about to confess.

“Melissa...,” the Norse God began at the same time, sounding just as hesitant as she did.

This startled the pair into giving eachother strange looks before they burst into easy laughter.  “Let me go first luv.  When I’m done, you can say what you need,” the celebrity requested his ebony hair hanging slightly in his face as he gave her a light version of his puppy eyes.  Giggling lightly, she could only roll her own eyes and motion for the taller man to continue.

“Thank you.  You choosing to stay here for me, even with the very real chance you’ll get pregnant... it means more to me than I can possibly put into words.  I just... I wanted to tell you that this whole thing is much more than just a relief for my condition.  You aren’t just some sex toy to me darling and...  I truly hope this debacle hasn’t changed your decision to pursue a relationship with me.  I... I care very, very deeply for you already, as you well know and I...,” he murmured, pausing to lick his lips nervously as he thought about what he was going to say next.

Seeing the normally eloquent male at such a loss for words honestly charmed her and she found herself reaching out with a hand to cup his cheek to encourage him to continue.  To her surprise, the powerful being nuzzled into the contact, dropping the washcloth to hold her hand in place.  Even his eyes slid closed briefly, immense relief covering his pale features.  When he reopened his expressive orbs, she saw an expression in them that made her lower body clench with sudden need.  By the time she realized he could smell it, he was already flaring his nostrils; his eyes going dark as he released a low growl that settled somewhere inside her womb.  Then he was shaking himself, giving her a shameful glance as he hand tightened over hers.  “You told me you don’t want me to temper myself around you so I’m going to take that at face value right now and pray you weren’t lying to me.  I love you Melissa,” he confessed, time seemed to grind to a halt as her heart stopped in her chest.

Tears of happiness clogged her throat while anxiety slowly overtook her brain.  The confusion of the completely opposite emotions inside her only made it harder for her to think, nothing coming out of her gaping mouth as endless moments seemed to pass.  A huge part of her wanted to reciprocate the feelings she knew she had for him but another part of her was held back by her very painful past with Jeremy.  If they dived in any further would it be repeating that same fate?  Would her unintended scandal with Jeremy cause the very same problem she had been trying to avoid?  Then there was what was currently happening.  What would happen if anyone found out about that?

All at once it was all too much and Melissa broke into stressed tears as she wrapped her arms around Loki’s neck, burrowing her face into his shoulder to seek comfort.  “Oh Loki, I love you too and that’s the problem.  None of my problems have gone away.  What happens when we go public?  What if they use my past against me?  What if they somehow find out about  _ this _ ?!  I can’t be responsible for them going after your career like they did his!  Oh I’m such a fool for even thinking I could agree to this.  I should have just...,” she sobbing, going into a full on ramble before lips on hers stopped her words quite effectively.

“Did you just say what I think you did?” the Norse God whispered, the hope in his baritone curling somewhere deep inside her and tugging hard.  Looking up at him with wide eyes, she found herself lost in his green pools as his scent filled her nose.

“Say it again,” he whispered, his voice barely above begging as their gazes locked and his large, rough hands roamed her bare back.

“I... I... As you would probably say it, Odin Help me I love you Loki,” the brunette sighed, self hatred filling her as his eyes lit up with absolute happiness.  She hated that she was so happy in his arms.  She hated that his scent was quickly becoming addictive, as was his smile and laughter.  Most of all, she hated how little she was starting to care just what happened in the future.

Then his lips were meeting hers in a sweet kiss, his tongue sweeping into her mouth briefly before he pulled back.  “I just want you to know I don’t care what happens once we go public.  The press can bay at the doors all day.  Hell, they can even have my career.  What I’m not willing to give up is you,” he husked, peppering kisses all over her face before he was laying her back in the tub to wash her body.

“I need you to promise me something,” the deity whispered, his gaze solemn as the small square of cloth moved over her flesh.

“What?” she asked quietly, a hint of dread settling into her stomach.  She had a suspicion about what he was going to ask for and she was unsure of her ability to grant it.

“Promise that, no matter how hard it gets, you won’t run away.  We can get through anything together,” he murmured, his voice holding a slightly hard edge as he finished washing her.  Then he was lifting her out of the tub, using his magic to wrap a towel around her.

Lissa could feel unease settle into her stomach and she nibbled her lower lip as she stared down at her slightly pudgy abdomen.  She could already be pregnant due to last night alone and she still had six days of this left.  She was already dubious about handling the surfacing of her past, she sincerely doubted she could handle carrying his child on top of it.  Just think about the shit that would stir made her shudder subconsciously.  All of a sudden she just wanted to disappear, to evaporate into thin air so she had never put either of them through all of this.  Neither of them had stopped to think and now there would be Hell to pay.  “Melissa Einsel,” came a stern baritone, drawing her out of her spiral of panic with a snap.

Looking up, she saw green glaring down at her as he gave her a deadly seriously look.  “Promise me you won’t disappear on me, that you won’t make me have to tear apart the very fabric of the universe to find you,” rumbled his voice, steel under the velvet purr.  Just hearing it made her heart stutter in her chest and she took a deep breath to steady herself.

“I... I promise,” she whispered as she opened her eyes to lock their gazes, gasping when she saw the downright serious look on his oval face.

“Now, I need you to listen to me closely.  If you break this promise, I will do just as I threatened.  I will tear apart reality itself until you are in my arms again,  _ especially _ if you are pregnant,” the towering male whispered, his voice a cold rumble she had only heard in the movies.

Licking her suddenly dry lips, the brunette took a few more deep breaths to try to slow her racing heart before nodding.  “I... understand,” she whispered in a small voice, fear filling her to her very toes.  Yet this fear wasn’t of the domineering deity holding her.  It was fear of her ability to keep her promise when things came down to it.

“Good girl, now let’s get you dressed and fed,” the celebrity purred, giving her lips a quick peck before he was gently setting her on her feet in the bedroom.

Soon the powerful being was helping her dress, ushering her out into the dining area as he used his magic to begin cooking.  “Sit down and relax darling.  I’ll get you something to drink.  What would you like?” he asked, a warm, relaxed expression on his pale face as he smiled at her.

“Er, promise you won’t laugh,” the young professional whispered, feeling a bit silly about what she was currently craving.  The look the star gave didn’t help her discomfiture one bit and she found herself blushing as her gaze lowered.

Suddenly she felt a gentle but firm finger lift her chin, her eyes meeting his as he smiled down at her.  “I promise darling now tell me what you’d like to drink,” rumbled his baritone, nearly making her melt in her chair.

“You wouldn’t happen to have... chocolate milk would you?” she asked, her voice getting quieter and more shy near the end.  To her surprise, instead of teasing her, he pressed a gentle kiss to her lips.

“Of course, it’s one of my favorites,” he announced before walking off into the kitchen to get her beverage.  Lissa could only slump in relief, a small blush coloring her pale cheek.

Pulling herself back into a sitting position, the twenty-eight year old couldn’t help but think on the things from earlier.  Even now she could be pregnant and she wouldn’t know it for a week.  Just thinking about the hay day the paparazzi would have with the extra ammo made her shudder.  She wasn’t confident she could just sit there and watch Loki get attacked for something that was really quite precious.  She couldn’t put him or an innocent child through such a backlash.  She could already hear the accusations they would throw, even seeing the star as his expression grew from defensive to apprehensive; the trust eventually fading out of his beautiful eyes.

A gentle touch on her upper arm drew her attention back to the God turned movie star, his blue green eyes full of worry and apprehension.  “Whatever you’re thinking about, don’t.  I swear to you that I will never leave your side.  I have been around you long enough to know your care for me is genuine, let alone what you’re putting yourself through this week for my sake.  You could have just left, I gave you ample opportunity,” he murmured, placing a glass of chocolate milk in her hands.

“No, I would have never left you like that.  As much as I’m sure you can help yourself, I wouldn’t have been able to stop worrying about you.  Wondering if I should have stayed to help you, make sure you were taken care of,” the handler replied, a light frown on her face as she took a long swallow from her beverage.  This, of course, left a small trail of chocolate milk on her upper lip.

Licking at it instinctually, Lissa couldn’t help but notice Loki’s vibrant eyes follow her tongue; hunger shining in his now green orbs.  “That is why you’re special Melissa.  The thought of leaving when I’m so vulnerable is utterly repugnant to you.  Maybe that’s why I sought you out even when you were trying to hide from me...,” he breathed, longing clear in his expression as he pulled away to sit in a chair beside her.  Despite how sore she was, the assistant couldn’t help but feel a tiny pang of regret that he hadn’t kissed her.

“The first night you had those horrible nightmares...  I never heard anyone sound so lost and scared, so guilty.  You kept screaming at someone to just stop.  It was at that moment that I felt I had to help protect you since no one else seemed to,” she replied quietly, staring at his larger hands as they sat on the table.  As she watched, they tensed at the mention of his dreams; curling into tight fists as he took a deep, shaky breath.

“Well, you are right in a way.  Not very many try to offer me comfort or try to protect me from anything.  In fact, not many will hear my side of things at all; preferring to focus on my actions alone rather than what’s causing them,” he snarled, his voice holding a bitter tone as her eyes slowly rose to meet his.

Jade green now took over his eyes and blue lightly colored his skin as cold pulsed off him in waves.  “So many refuse to see my pain or my fears, seeing me as only an unfeeling beast.  I had to take sanctuary among the very beings I tried to destroy.  Had to watch as the world died and reformed into what it is now.  Had to make a whole new identity and family.  A family whose son I watched die in the forest.  I buried his body under a pine tree and assumed his appearance.  They still don’t know their real son has been long dead.  The real Thomas Hiddleston never got to even see his potential and I guess I’ve been trying to live his life for him.  Besides, being an actor suits me well,” he sighed, starting out sounding bitter and angry but ending sounding sad and guilty.

Lissa could only stare at him, doing her best to absorb the information he had shared.  She had wondered just how to explain the family he had but she had never expected something like this.  “Why didn’t you save him?” she found herself asking, her heart lurching in her chest at the heartbroken expression that crossed his noble face.

“I... I had to take the opportunity where it presented itself.  He looked enough like me that I could get away with not disguising myself too much.  I have always felt guilty about that decision, even visiting his makeshift gave every year on the anniversary of his passing,” he confessed quietly, an apprehensive look in his once again mostly blue eyes.

Nibbling her lower lip, the brunette tried to process his confession and found herself honestly feeling more bad for Loki than the child.  While he had let a kid die, it had no doubt shaken him to do so; showing the extent of his desperation to stay hidden.  It made her wonder just how badly he had been treated if he would go against his own morality like that.  All at once she felt a surge of anger for the male’s sake, wanting nothing more than to tear Odin and Thor  new one for forcing him to such actions.  “I’m so sorry Loki.  That must have been very hard on you,” she found herself whispering, one of her hands coming to rest over his to comfort him.

“Indeed.  I had nightmares for years about it, still do.  I can’t get the sound of his scream out of my head, the sound of his little body hitting the ground.  At least he died on impact, I don’t think I could have withstood ending him myself,” sighed the tortured being, leaning towards her as if seeking her nearness.

Giving him a small smile, the brown haired woman scooted her chair closer to him and wrapped her arms around him tightly.  “I’m not a child killer Lissey, it practically tore me apart to force myself not to save him but...  I just didn’t know when the next opportunity would arise.  I had to!  I had to!  If they find me...,” he husked, his voice thick with emotion as he began to shake.

“What’ll happen?” she found herself asking, dreading the answer as she began to pet his midnight curls.

“Imprisonment for the rest of my life...  For a crime millennia past,” came the bitter reply, another shudder rippling through his muscled body.

A chill of horror filled her and she looked up at him as nausea began to percolate in her stomach.  “Aren’t you immortal?” she whispered, stunned when he nodded against her shoulder.  Then hot tears were hitting her skin as he began to sob.

“I couldn’t... I would go mad!  I would do anything not to go back to that again.  Years of being trapped within tiny walls, losing my appetite and will to live slowly.  It was only my mother that saved me.  She saw my declining health and knew I would die if something wasn’t done.  She snuck me out with Heimdall’s help,” he whispered, more shakes wracking his body as he cried openly.  The terror rolling off him was palpable and she felt a fierce protectiveness grip her.

“No matter what, I’ll make sure they won’t take you again.  I can’t believe Thor would allow such a thing!  Is he really  _ that _ oblivious?” Lissa snarled, her heart aching for the frightened God she held.

“You have no idea.  Thor’s heart is in the right place and he’s a good man but he’s easily led by Odin,” Loki sighed, pulling away to wipe his eyes.  Then he was summoning breakfast to the table with a flick of his wrist, wrapping an arm around her as the plates arranged themselves.

Even as they ate, the handler couldn’t stop thinking about what she had been told; rage and indignation boiling in her blood.  If she had been in his position, she probably would have done the same thing.  Dealing with the nightmares would be much more preferable to going insane for however long he had been locked up.  “I... I know you’re scared Lissey.  You have every right to be but...  Don’t leave me too, please.  It has been so long since I could truly be myself that I had almost forgotten who I was.  If it hadn’t been for these movies and you I probably would have,” he pleaded, his eyes locking with hers as he took her hands in his, breaking her out of her thoughts.

“I already promised didn’t I?  I’m not going to leave you or hate you for what you did in the past.  It was so long ago its not even worth blaming you for anymore,” she assured, finishing her food with a smile.  She just hoped she wouldn’t end up running away for other reasons but she would do her damnedest to stick it through, no matter how horribly Loki was being treated because of her.


	12. The Cherry on Top

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Bit of a time skip. I think it would get a bit boring writing the non-stop sex they had for the entire week. Or at the very least monotonous. Hope you enjoy anyhow.

The rest of the time passed as a blur for the pair.  The deeper into the week it got, the more animalistic and possessive Loki had become.  He had bitten her neck quite a few times during sex, as if trying to mark her.  He had even started insisting on her being on her hands and knees as he took her, his skin fluctuating from his disguise to his true nature throughout.  Yet, despite his roughness, his words were unendingly tender; expressing how much he loved her and how beautiful she was.  As the week came to a close, Lissa found herself feeling slightly relieved.

While the deity had made sure she orgasmed every time, she was getting a bit sore from all the activity.  They had been going with very little breaks in between but Loki had always made sure she was taken care of.  In between ‘sessions’ he would make sure she was hydrated and had some food before starting again.  He had even let her take naps but that honestly didn’t help much with how exhausted she was getting.  Having sex took a lot out of a person and Loki seemed to have endless stamina, a fact that really didn’t surprise her given what he was.  Still, she would be happy when it was over and she could get a full night’s rest without being woken up every two hours so he could relieve himself.

On the last day of his heat, Melissa opened her brown eyes with a groan of pain; feeling the days of activity in all of her muscles.  The strong arm wrapped around her waist tightened as the male behind her stirred, nuzzling the back of her head affectionately.  “Mmm you smell sore and tired today my love.  Come, I will run you a hot bath,” he purred in a deep, husky voice just before he got out of bed and picked her up.  Sighing, the brunette snuggled into his naked, muscled chest and allowed his intoxicating scent to lull her while he ran her bath.  Then he was gently lowering her in, his hands moving over her silky skin as he rubbed soap on her.

“I know I have been rather demanding on you my darling.  Only one more day and it will be out of my system.  Unfortunately, we will have to leave soon after.  I have a few projects coming up and I’m sure you’d like to freshen up and relax at your place for a while, let alone pick up your pet,” he murmured, his blue green eyes shining with affection.

“Yeah and I’m guessing you want me to come with you as your assistant,” she sighed, sinking into the hot water.  Already her muscles were unknotting and she could feel the soreness leaving.  Closing her eyes, she released a small sigh as she felt Loki rinse the soap from the parts she hadn’t submerged.

“Of course.  I’m not about to let you out of my sight in your condition,” he rumbled, sitting her up so he could shampoo her brown locks.

All the young professional could do was blink slowly, dread and apprehension beginning to bloom in her chest.   _ ‘Please, please don’t say it,’ _ she thought to herself as the God massaging her scalp gave her a nervous glance.  “Wh-what condition?” she whispered, anxiety flooding her system as the too handsome male pulled back slightly to meet her eyes.  One of his large hand came up to cup her cheek as a worried expression came over his pale face.

“Oh Lissey, we both knew this was inevitable but I cannot begin to express how sorry I am.  You are pregnant my darling.  Only a couple days along,” he murmured, his rough thumb rubbing her cheek.  Just hearing those words made her stomach drop through the floor as all her old panic came flooding back.

All at once her mind was whirring, drawing forward all her fears and only making her anxiety worse.  All she could see was flashes of headlines and tabloid photos, Loki looking more and more harassed in each one.  Eventually that anger was turned to her and the love he felt turned to bitterness for taking away a career he had worked very hard for.  The only thing that drew her out of the downward spiral was a gentle but demanding kiss on her lips.  “Lis, my sweet girl, I can see the wheels turning in your head.  You’re thinking too far ahead and are already thinking of breaking your promise to me.  I want to make something very clear for you my darling, misguided Midgardian, I can stand to lose everything but you.  You and this unborn child,” he growled.

“B-but, what about...,” stammered the distraught woman, stopping when the taller being gave her a stern glare.

“No Melissa.  Just no.  You and this child...  You mean more to me than anything has for a very long time.  I will  _ not _ let anyone take this from me again.  Not my fans, not the paparazzi, not my career and certainly not you!” he gritted out, his voice low and angry as he made sure their eyes were locked.

Before she could ask what he meant about again, he was lifting her out of the tub and wrapping her in a soft, green towel.  Then he was carrying her into the room they had shared for these past seven days, laying her gingerly down on the silk sheets and pulling a comforter over her naked body.  Sighing, he removed the towel around her with a flick of his wrist and placed a kiss on her forehead.  “Forgive me for that luv.  A lot has happened to me that isn’t covered by the movies.  A lot that I would rather not talk about but find myself reminded of by our circumstances,” the weary, sad looking Norse God whispered, caressing her cheek before he padded out of the room.  Lissa could only watch, questions and concern whirling around her mind.

In seconds, her famous host was back; a thoughtful expression on his oval face as he carried in a tray of fresh fruit and some juice.  As he set it on her blanket covered lap, he sat down beside her and held a strawberry up to her mouth.  Blushing, the handler accepted the fruit with a smile.  As harsh as his earlier words had been, they had left a warm glow of happiness in her heart and this only intensified the feeling.  Just looking in his eyes as he carefully fed her, she was rendered breathless by the amount of affection shining in his aqua colored orbs.  At that moment, she became very aware of the fact that it would utterly break them both if she gave into her fear and ran away.  “Oh Loki...  I love you so very much.  Much more than I should,” she sighed, leaning forward to give the star a loving kiss on the lips.

At first, the deity turned actor went stiff in surprise; then he melted into the kiss and cupped her left cheek.  Once again that thunderstorm in a winter field scent filled her nose, making want cramp her exhausted core.  Growling against her lips, the pale man broke the kiss to pull back, his eyes a jade green as he gave her a warm, loving smile.  “I love you too my little Lissey.  Now let’s get some more food in you before I give in to my urge to give you a thorough fucking,” he rumbled, offering her another strawberry.  Giving a small, pained groan, Melissa took the fruit; feeling slightly shy about the fact that he was feeding her so caringly.

When the food was gone, Loki spirited the tray away so he could lay beside her and wrap his arms around her.  With a content sigh, he burrowed his nose in her shoulder length hair as his healing magic flowed over her body.  “I will let you rest as much as possible today.  The urge isn’t too strong and I don’t want you to get sick from overexertion,” he whispered, one of his hands coming to rest on her slightly pudgy stomach.

“I honestly appreciate that.  I can’t begin to tell you how worn out you’ve made me,” she teased lightly, rolling over to nestle into his naked chest.  The taller male chuckled as his hands roamed over her bare back, one of his long legs resting on top of hers.

“I certainly hope its a good worn out,” rumbled his cocky baritone, making a giggle bubble up from her chest.

“Oh trust me, it is.  This has probably been the stuff fangirl dreams are made of but I probably won’t need sex for a month after I get home,” the brunette teased, yawning as her sheer tiredness began to take over.

“Mmm, I’ll have to do my best to convince you otherwise.  Take a nap Lissey.  I will watch over you,” the powerful being assured, the warmth and smell of him lulling her into a deep sleep.

When she felt an empty space beside her, Melissa jolted upward as fear and confusion began to fill her.  She only relaxed when the smell of cooking food wafted through the open door.  For a second, she had thought Thor had finally caught up to the God; tearing him away from her.  Getting out of bed, she got dressed in a hurry; her anxiety demanding she see that he was here for herself.  Then she was running out of the room and into the living area, startling the shit out of Loki; who had been reading while sipping some tea.  “Lissey, what on Earth?” he gasped out in a slightly scared voice, his eyes fixing on her as he searched for any signs of injury.  Instead of answering, she just rushed forward; nearly tackling him as she hugged him.   
“You’re still here.  When you weren’t in bed with me I thought Thor had finally caught on and had found you,” she whispered, tears rolling unconsciously down her white cheeks as she burrowed her face into his pecs.

Blinking in confusion for a few seconds, Loki wrapped his strong arms around her and began to make comforting noises.  “Sweetie, I’ve been under his nose for a long while now.  I highly doubt anything other than me being forced to use a lot of my magic would grab his attention.  As for Odin, I’m sure he’s content to think I’m dead,” the deity assured, petting her straight, chocolate colored hair.  Lissa relaxed slightly at his words, anxiety still clenching her heart in a tight, vice-like grip.

“Remember the emotions you’re feeling though.  If you ever decide to run, I will be feeling much the same.  I know I keep saying it but I don’t think you truly grasp just how much you mean to me.  Much like you were frantic until you had me in your arms, I would be the same.  With the exception of having a huge amount of power to search for you with.  I cannot impress this on you enough.  If you disappear, I will put my very freedom at stake to find you.  Do  _ not _ test me,” he whispered in a gruff, stern sounding voice as his left hand cupped her corresponding cheek.

The twenty-eight year old could only look at him as she absorbed his words.  She had no doubt he was exceedingly serious about this threat, especially after he had repeated it several times.  Yet, she still found herself wondering if she could keep her promise yet again.  Even knowing he would suffer the same anxiety she had felt didn’t help.  It was more that she was worried she wouldn’t be able to handle the guilt of watching his world fall apart because of her.  Sighing, she honestly wished she had a bit more gumption; at least that way she would feel more compelled to fight for what she wants.  She really didn’t want to cause him any pain or anguish but she was afraid that she simply wouldn’t be able to help it if the pressure became bad enough.  “I... I’ll do my best Loki.  I really will but you have to try to understand where I’m coming from.  I’ll know its my fault they’re coming after you, that your career is being wrecked.  If I went away, it would solve so much so it’s hard to take that option away from myself,” she tried to reason, swallowing slightly as she watched a cold green gradually take over his eyes.

“Don’t make me repeat myself again.  I understand you would feel guilty but it wouldn’t truly be your fault.  It would be the fault of the paparazzi.  Really, do  _ not _ make me backup my words,” he sighed as he rubbed his elegant nose along hers.

Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes as she forced her overwhelming anxiety for the future away so she could actually take in everything he had told her over the week.  Putting it all together, she came to the conclusion she would have to be more brave than she had ever been.  It wouldn’t be easy but Loki would be there for her every step of the way.  He would be more than happy to assuage any of her fears and offer comfort when she needed it.  What he had made very clear was that he would only be unhappy if she decided to give into her urge and disappeared.  “You’ll have to help me keep my promise because I’m more of a coward than I let on.  I hate confrontation and conflict, let alone having poor Jeremy drug into the middle of all of this.  It won’t be easy to focus on what’s important,” she confessed in a small voice, fear tinging her words.

“Then I’ll have to make sure to keep an eye on you.  There is no real reason to be afraid.  Look in my eyes and tell me I’m lying to you about my convictions.  Tell me all of my feelings for you will turn to the bitterness you fear,” husked his slightly angry sounding voice as he gripped her chin and gave her face a slight shake to make her look at him.

Opening her earthy eyes, Lissa saw only love and determination; making a lump form in her throat as her anxiety and need to stay warred with eachother.  “Oh Loki,” she gasped as her emotions finally overflowed and she began to cry.

“Shhh, shhh.  It will be okay, I promise,” he whispered into her hair as he used his magic to make a light breakfast for her.

Within moments, she had calmed down enough to stop crying; now only feeling foolish for her silly behavior.  She knew she was flighty but this was bordering on ridiculous!  Where was the conviction of a few days ago!  Was she really so easily swayed by her fears again?  Was she really willing to lose her second chance at happiness because of some camera hounds?  Frowning in frustration at herself, the assistant got off her former client’s lap to take a seat beside him.  “Christ, look at me behaving like a fucking indecisive sixteen year old!  I’m a fucking adult, its more than time to stand my ground for what I want,” she hissed, temporarily forgetting about her current company.

“Exactly my darling.  Now you should eat.  We can discuss what to do next after you have some food in your stomach,” the actor offered as a plate carrying a small amount of scrambled eggs landed in front of her.  This was closely followed by a glass of chocolate milk and some toast.

Giving her former client a sheepish grin, the brunette dug in; a lot hungrier than either of them had honestly expected.  In fact, it took a couple more helpings of various breakfast foods to satisfy her; much to both their shocks.  “I guess all the exercise gave me quite an appetite,” Melissa whispered in an awed voice after she finished off a plate of sausage.

“Eat as much as you need.  After all, you are eating for two now,” cooed her companion, looking pleased.

“That’s a common myth actually.  According to modern doctors, I’m only supposed to eat as much as I normally would unless I feel I need more,” she countered, finishing off her milk before giving him her full attention.

Loki gave her a warm smile in return, spiriting away her dishes with a flick of his wrist.  “I know its too soon to talk about moving in or getting married but I would like to just put it on the table.  I don’t want to miss out on any of your pregnancy, not even the morning sickness.  I also... feel a certain reluctance to be parted from you,” he whispered, his words making everything inside her freeze.  Was she really ready to just dive right into this as if it was inevitable for them to end up together?  Feeling his arms around her and how at home she felt, she found the answer was yes.  A fact that frightened her more than anything else had so far.

“All of this is just going so damn fast it makes my head spin,” she sighed, only finding reassurance in her lover’s eyes.

“I know my darling girl.  If I had my way, I would have taken the time to woo you properly and marry you before we even thought of having children.  With the situation the way it is, we have to do things a bit unorthodoxically.  We don’t have to move in together right away but I would at least like you to stay in contact until you decide what you want to do,” the God whispered, taking one of her hands in his while giving her an apprehensive look.

Glancing up at him, she felt both intense love and apprehension of her own.  Much like him, she was unused to things moving this fast but found herself helpless to stop it.  Also, there was the little fact that she was now pregnant with a demi-god; something she hadn’t even thought of before now.  If she was entirely honest, she wasn’t all that eager to be separated from him either.  She had no idea what was in store for her while carrying this child, let alone the fact she had gotten far too used to his presence during these past seven days.  “I... Heaven help me I don’t really want you to leave either.  Could you... maybe stay the night with me when you bring me back home?  I’m not too sure how I’d handle waking up alone given my earlier reaction,” she requested in a small, shy voice, twisting the hem of the green t-shirt she wore.

“Of course.  You know, I find it very amusing that you seem subconsciously drawn to my colors.  You were even wearing them on the day we met,” the star observed in an amused tone, making the female next to him blush deeply.

“Well, like most of the other women it seems, my first encounter with you as was in Thor.  I didn’t know you were playing yourself at the time and found myself forming quite a crush on Loki.  There was just something about him, well you, that drew me in.  From that day on, I started wearing green and black to feel closer to... you,” she confessed awkwardly, squeaking when he took her lips almost viciously.

“Then that makes all of this so much easier,” he purred before scooping her into his arms and carrying her into their shared bedroom or some early morning sex.


	13. Back to Reality

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: I am so sorry about all the delays. I lost inspiration for a while but I feel much better after my break!

As Lissa watched ‘Tom’ getting acquainted with her dog, she could feel her partner in crime’s eyes on her.  Sighing, she knew she would have to tell Rissa what was going on or her lifelong shadow would never forgive her.  So, with a feeling of dread, she turned to see a smirk on her friend’s pretty face.  “Hey Tom, would you mind keeping an eye on Loki while Rissa and I catch up a little?” she requested in a quiet voice, almost hoping he wouldn’t hear her.

“Go ahead.  I have a feeling me and this lil guy have a lot to discuss ourselves,” came his reassuring baritone, sounding oddly serious.  Blinking a bit, the assistant merely shook her head before leading the way into her friend’s living room.

As soon as they were in there, her aqua eyed pal nearly leapt down her throat.  “The con ended a week ago.  Just where have you and Mr. Hiddleston been?” purred the observant redhead, a knowing expression on her pale face.

“Please don’t scream Rissa.  Promise me or I won’t tell you a thing,” sighed the weary twenty-eight year old, wanting nothing more than to melt into the couch they sat on.  Her friend nodded solemnly but Lissa just knew it would be a challenge for her.  The Irish femme had been obviously trying to get them together since they had met.  This news was likely to make her explode in excitement.

Taking a deep breath, the brown haired handler moved her bangs behind her ear and braced herself.  “Tom and I took a bit of a vacation.  We decided to start seeing eachother,” she confessed, watching as the woman across from her began to turn an ugly shade of red from the effort of holding herself in.  In fact, the slightly older female began to jitter as a huge grin took over her face.  Sighing, the green and black clad brunette handed her friend a pillow to yell into.  Something her close companion took immediate advantage of, stuffing her face into it and letting loose.

“Oh my God!  Melissa!  I’m so happy for you two!  I just knew you would get together!  Tom’s always had such a huge soft spot for you,” she gushed at a normal volume, pouncing the other woman and jumping up and down from happiness.  The young professional could only sigh, deciding to keep the news she was also pregnant to herself for now.  Knowing Rissa, she would rip ‘Tom’s’ head off and shit fire down his handsome throat.

After what seemed like an eternity of giving details, ‘Tom’ came to collect her; as if sensing her growing exhaustion.  Knowing what she did about him, Melissa wouldn’t have doubted if it was true.  “It seems little Loki here is passed out.  Let’s get him home luv,” he purred, carrying said sleeping pup in his strong arms.  Grateful for the interruption, the bone tired woman got to her feet; swaying slightly as sudden dizziness swum through her.  The actor was immediately putting down the canine, rushing to her side to steady her with concern clear in his blue-green eyes.

“Looks like we should get you home as well.  Can you walk darling?” he murmured, his gaze never leaving hers for a second.  Before she could answer with a stubborn yes, another wave washed over her; nearly making her knees buckle.

Before she knew it, her former ward was taking her to her rickety car; Rissa following closely with Loki in her arms.  “Musta been one Hell of a week for you to be all tuckered out like this,” her fellow assistant teased as she placed the conked out pup in the backseat.

“Oh hush,” Lissa growled, a heated blush on her cheeks as the handsome thespian set her gently on the passenger’s seat.

“Don’t worry about her too much Mari.  I’ll make sure she’s well taken care of,” Tom assured, giving the spirited female a smile.

Marissa only giggled, her aqua eyes glimmering with perverted humor.  “Oh I’m sure ya will.  Just like you took care of her aaaalllll last week.  Just let her actually get some rest or she’ll be useless at work,” she purred, snickering at the blush that colored the star’s pale cheeks.

“Er, right.  See you on Monday Mari.  I have another shoot coming up and I want to make sure to book my favorite girl early.  That way she can’t hide from me,” the black haired actor excused before he nearly fled to the driver’s side and got in.

As soon as they were away from her friend’s house, her puppy jolted wide awake; a dopey dog grin on his cute face.  Blinking, she looked from the dog to his namesake; wondering if his name and how smart he was were more than coincidences.  Deciding to test something, she turned to her pet with an admonishing smile.  “Loki, you silly pup.  Were you only pretending to sleep?”she playfully scolded, getting a sheepish look in return.  It was at that moment she realized he could understand her and she turned back to the God that held the same moniker.

“He’s a little piece of me.  You were drawn very strongly to him for a reason.  I wanted to make sure you had some sort of protection and... I also felt a bit better knowing a small bit of me was with you at all times,” he explained quietly, answering her unasked question.

“So... is he you or...,” she began, only feeling more confused.

“Yes and no.  He has his own personality but he is identical to me in every other way besides appearance,” Asgardian Loki replied, a slight smile quirking the corners of his mouth.

“I’m going to have to find some way to distinguish you two.  I named him before I knew who you really were,” she groused playfully, motioning for the stubby dog to hop into her lap.

The Loki next to her only smiled wider while the short, orange furred Loki crawled into her lap.  Yep, this situation definitely needed to be rectified immediately.  “I know!  I’ll call one of you Lo-Lo!” she declared with a triumphant smile.  Just hearing that made the proud deity to her left go stiff.  Giggling, she decided to play with him a little bit.  After all, he wouldn’t hesitate to do the same to her.

“Awwww, don’t you like your new nickname Lo-Lo?” she asked in a falsely innocent voice.  This elicited a low snarl from the powerful male as his jaw clenched and his hands tightened on the leather encased wheel.

“No, I do not,” he gritted, green becoming more dominant in his gaze as a slight chill filled the car.

“But its so cute!  I think I’ll even start using it in bed,” she continued despite the aura of danger coming from her companion.  To her further amusement, the proud male’s skin began to turn a slight blue from his growing rage.  It was almost as if he thought she was being completely serious.

Then he was turning his head to glower at her, startling slightly when he saw she was grinning at him.  Instantly he softened, his skin and eyes returning to normal as his own smile slowly curled his lips.  “Naughty girl.  You were teasing me weren’t you,” he rumbled, his voice much deeper and raspier as he sounded more like the version of himself from the movies.  Lissa only giggled slightly as she shrugged.

“Why not?  You would do the same to me,” she pointed out, enjoying how lighthearted the atmosphere was between them.  It honestly helped keep her mind off those stubborn doubts that still lingered in the back of her mind.  The rich laughter she got in return made her heart soar as love filled her for this handsome, mischievous God.

“Oh you know me so well,” he continued as he returned his focus to the road.  Then he was releasing the wheel with his right hand, reaching over to take hold of hers.  Just feeling his flesh touch hers filled her with such a sense of home that she had to swallow hard to get rid of the tears threatening to spill from her eyes.  Even with Jeremy, she had never felt this level of contentment or belonging and it let her know she was making the right decision.

“Yeah, I know both Tom and you very well.  Been around you guys for years and I practically worshipped the you from the movies.  Though you’re less bitter than I thought you would be, given what your family did to you,” she replied, shifting her gaze to the canine in her lap as her feelings began to overwhelm her slightly.  The Corgi was looking at her with his ears perked forward, an almost worried expression on his furry face.

Smiling at her pet, she rubbed his head soothingly to assure him she was okay.  “Trust me, centuries can take the edge off any anger; no matter how deep.  Being immortal does give one time to get over grudges.  Still, I don’t look forward to seeing Odin anytime soon,” he informed her in a quiet voice, a callused thumb brushing over the top of her hand.

“Oh I don’t imagine you are,” she sighed, anger lightly tinging her voice as she rubbed one of the newly dubbed Lo-Lo’s ears.  The stubby dog sighed happily, relaxing into her lap as he closed his green eyes.

As far as she was concerned, Odin had no right to call himself anyone’s father.  The man had treated Loki as nothing short of a monster and if she never laid eyes on the God it would be too soon.  Still, she had to wonder if Chris and Tom were the only Asgardians in disguise.  It seemed just a bit too coincidental that one of her famous friends had also played the stubborn Norse male she was so angry at.  “Loki... is it possible that Anthony Hopkins is Odin in disguise?” she ventured tentatively, knowing it was a long-shot given the ancient patriarch’s hatred towards what he would call Midgardians.  Still, she would feel less dread if the star next to her simply laughed off the notion.

Instead, the deity turned movie star stiffened slightly as he actually seemed to consider it.  “I truly hope that isn’t the case.  I want to say he’s too proud to lower himself to be reborn as  Midgardian but...  I may have caused too much trouble before I left for him to let me go that easily.  He may have let go of his pride for the sake of punishing me for what he drove me to,” he replied, pulling into her driveway to park her car.  Then he was turning the vehicle off before reaching for her hand.

“But... I somehow doubt he’s willing to go that far.  As much as my... ‘father’ claims he likes you, he seems to think your kind are far below him.  I think posing as one of you would more than likely chafe him far more than he’s comfortable with,” he finished, his blue green eyes meeting hers steadily; faint fear lurking the back of the beautiful orbs.

Seeing this didn’t assuage her fears but she just had to hope he was right about his father. If Tony turned out to be the monster who wanted to imprison her beloved for the rest of his immortal life she would feel highly betrayed.  She had a good relationship with the much older man, even thinking of him as a grandfather.  If it was all a sham, she didn’t know if she could ever forgive the older man.  “I really hope you’re right Loki.  I don’t think I could withstand finding out he wasn’t the person I thought he was all these years.  Anthony is like a grandfather to me and to find out he’s such a heartless brute...  I don’t think I could ever recover,” she whispered, feeling unconscious tears roll down her white cheeks as her heart clenched from just the idea.

The dark haired celebrity pulled her into a tight hug in response, his warm, soft lips resting on her forehead.  The next thing she knew, they were in her humble home; all of her stuff unpacked and put away.  Even her puppy was in his doggy bed, watching them with an almost sly expression on his adorable face.  “You know, I could get used to your magic if it gets me out of packing after travelling,” she half joked, weariness from her long week settling into her bones.  As if sensing this, Loki scooped her into his strong arms and carried her towards where the bedrooms were.

“Where’s your room darling?  You need a bit of a lay down after what I’ve put you through, let alone the different time zones,” he murmured, using his magic to feel out her aura.  Using this, he went straight to her bedroom; where the highest concentration had gathered.

Once inside, it became very clear to him that she was more than just a little drawn to him.  Her walls had been painted his shade of green, edged with a deep shade of gold.  Posters of his movie portrayal of himself littered the walls and more than one figure of him was set up on her bookshelves and dressers.  Even her blankets were green and gold, black sheets peeking out from under the comforter.  Looking down, he saw her carpet was a deep black as well.  “Hmmmm, I would say you were a huge fan,” he purred, amusement and more than a little lust filling him at the sight of her room.  Where such a display would have creeped out other actors, Loki found himself feeling highly satisfied that she knew who she belonged to long before she had stumbled across his secret.

The brunette blushed heavily as she bashfully rubbed the back of her head.  “Yeah, there was just something about you that called to me and I wanted to feel as close to you as possible.  This was before I found out what I know now,” she replied shyly before heading to her bed and pulling back the blankets.  Just looking at the mattress made her want to flop on it face first and never get up again.  It was only the want of her pajamas that made her stay awake, something the man behind her seemed to sense.  This became clear to her when she suddenly found herself in her favorite Loki shirt and her comfiest pair of green pajama pants.

“Thanks,” she whispered, crawling into the small bed and sighing as her eyes immediately slid shut.  She was so tired, she didn’t even bother to pull the comforter over herself.

Watching his expecting lover with a smile, the Norse God walked to the bed and pulled her blanket over her; much preferring to do at least this much himself.  In fact, he was going to take every opportunity to touch her that he could.  So, it was with a wave of his hand that he made her bed big enough for him to lay beside her and hold her tightly against him.  While Lissa slumbered, watchful blue-green eyes focused on the bedroom door as he stayed fully alert.  Her earlier question had unsettled him more than he had let on and he found himself feeling a bit paranoid.  The scenario she had brought up had been highly unlikely but he couldn’t put it past his father.  He would be damned if he let anything or anyone tear him away from his beloved and their child.

It was the next day before the exhausted twenty-eight year old woke up again, slightly worrying the Asgardian holding her.  If it hadn’t been for his keen knowledge of how she was feeling, he would have been very tempted to just shake her back to consciousness.  As it was, he was very relieved when he saw her beautiful, chocolate colored orbs slowly flutter open.  Stretching, the assistant yawned before rolling slightly to give him a small smile.  “Mmm, thank you for staying with me,” she whispered blearily, still half asleep.   Then she was rolling over completely to nestle into his muscled chest and inhale deeply.

“I’m not about to leave unless you tell me to.  Did you sleep alright?  Do you need anything?  I already called your work and told them you needed a couple days off.  Your boss was very understanding,” came a flood of questions and information.  Thankfully Melissa was able to absorb it all despite being half awake.

“I slept fine, better than I have in a long time.  No, I’m fine and thank you for that.  I don’t think I could drag my worthless carcass out of bed even if I wanted to,” she replied, answering each one in perfect order.  Loki chuckled warmly in response, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead.

Giggling, she rubbed her nose alone the defined planes of his pale chest.  “I wonder what your fanbase would do if they found out your secret.  You’re already having to beat them away with a stick.  If it ever came out, you’d probably have to employ a flamethrower,” she teased, ignoring the persistent doubts still lurking in the back of her head.  All she needed was how comfortable and safe she felt to know she was making the right decision.  Besides, she wouldn’t have to worry about paparazzi until they decided to go public; which probably wouldn’t be long from now given her condition.  With circumstances the way they were, sooner was definitely better.

“Hmmmm, while women clamoring even more for my attention pleases me; I find myself more than content with one,” he rumbled, tilting her chin up to give her a sweet kiss.  Then he was slowly getting out of bed and stretching, his blue green gaze full of affection.

“Now stay where you are and let me take care of both you and our child.  We have a lot to discuss today and you’ll need your strength,” purred the dark haired male as he kissed her forehead and placed a palm over her stomach.   
“After all, we need to decide when to go public.  If we do it soon enough, we can brush off this pregnancy as happening after the announcement.  We don’t have to decide now but the sooner the better,” he continued, echoing her earlier thoughts before he left the room to make some breakfast for her as well as let her puppy out.  Lissa could only lay there; doing her best not to think too much about how, if anyone ever found out the truth, there would be a shitstorm of epic proportions.


	14. Cracks in the Veneer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: 7000+ views guys, just wow. I must be doing something right here. Anyway, hope you guys enjoy what I have planned for this. *evil laugh*

This was the final circle of Hell Melissa decided, queasily sipping some honey tea while watching ‘Tom’ acting out a scene for the new Thor movie.  While she loathed the beverage, it did wonders for her morning sickness and she begrudgingly drank it to ensure she wouldn’t toss her cookies all over the director.  Doing her best not to grimace at her churning stomach, the handler thought back to her first experience with this horrible feeling in an effort to distract herself.  Thankfully it worked and a small smile replaced the slightly sour expression on her too pale face.

She had barely been able to make it to the toilet the first time, Loki right on her heels.  He hovered worriedly, torn between getting her a glass of water and trying to soothe her as she vomited.  Soon he decided to kneel behind her, rubbing her back as she gagged and heaved helplessly.  It was only when she was done that he had summoned a glass of water for her with a wave of his hand.  “I’m so sorry luv.  Would you like me to use my magic to ease your discomfort?” he whispered, his vice tinged with worry and helplessness.

“No but thank you.  It may sound silly but I want to do this as naturally as possible.  It just... feels right somehow,” she whispered, her earthy eyes begging him for understanding.  Thankfully the God had consented with a smile, not leaving her side until she was done getting sick.

Sighing, Lissa brought herself back to the present; her gaze traveling to her disguised lover.  Seeing him in his full armor did something strange to her, much more than it did before now that she wasn’t outright shocked.  It was like she was looking at a scene ripped straight from his memories, watching as the trickster worked his magic.  There was also the way he was acting, as if he had well and truly gone back to being himself.  All the bitterness and guilt, there was no faking the rawness of those emotions in his vibrant eyes.  It took her breath away and she found herself slowly becoming aroused by seeing the past face of her lover, to her complete and utter mortification.  Still, she had no choice but to stay in case her charge needed her.  Leaving now would be seen as highly unprofessional.

As if sensing what was going on, the costumed male whirled to face her; his eyes a glowing green.  At that moment the director called cut, declaring a break for lunch.  Just the thought of food made her stomach lurch sickly, effectively killing any of her earlier libido.  In the next second, ‘Tom’ was at her side; looking like he was barely restraining himself from picking her up into his arms.  “Are you well darling?  You look pale,” he purred, his voice still deep and raspy from playing the movie version of himself.

“I feel a bit off today I’m afraid but I’ll be alright in a few minutes,” she replied politely, carefully getting to her feet.  The dark haired male huffed slightly before gently steering her towards his trailer, bending so his lips brushed her ear.

“More like a few hours.  Are you sure you’re alright to work my treasure?  I don’t want to put either you or our child at risk,” rumbled his baritone as he subtly used his powers to open the door.

“And I told this morning that plenty of pregnant women work until the later months.  Truly, I’ll be fine as long as I eat light and stick to the god awful honey tea.  Stuff tastes like a cow’s backside,” she replied a bit more heatedly than she meant to.  They had fought long and hard about him going back to work on Thor.  Then they had proceeded to fight over her being his handler.  It had been a hard won battle and she really didn’t want to rehash it all over again.

“None of them are you.  I don’t like seeing you so ill while working for me.  It feels like I’m forcing you to be here when you should be in bed,” pleaded the trickster, leading her into the tiny vehicle and shutting the door behind them.

“No one is forcing me to be here but me.  I can’t just call into work sick for a month.  Besides, how else can I be sure you won’t run off with a prettier woman,” she half joked, surprised when the almost beautiful man let out a low growl.

The temperature in the room took a sharp drop, faint, raised markings appearing on his skin.  Then his icy hands were gripping her shoulders hard as his eyes gained a red tinge.  “I would die before I betrayed you knowingly.  After how long I have longed for you to accept me, to reciprocate my feelings; not to mention just trying to get you to agree to a relationship once I found out how you felt... do you really think I would throw all of this away for someone else?” the unearthly being growled, his voice steady growing more powerful while staying soft.  Before she could even think to answer, his lips were meeting hers possessively; his teeth nipping her soft lips.

“No, I would have to be truly mad to give this up.  To let some other man have what I claimed, even raise my child.  Just the thought of it makes my blood boil.  You are mine now and I am nothing if not loyal to my lovers,” he rumbled as he broke the kiss, his voice full of urgency as one of his large hands travelled down to her stomach.

“No Tom, if you’re going to do what I think you are just no,” she sighed, taking the hand in hers to kiss the knuckles.

“Call me Loki in private,” he snarled with surprising vehemence before he was claiming her lips again, a low, gruff sound bubbling up from deep inside his chest.

Lissa could only whimper, her hands coming up to rest on the leather armor covering his chest.  In all her years with him, she had never seen the normally composed celebrity act like this.  Cautiously breaking the kiss, the brunette looked up at the Aesir male hovering over her; taking in the expression on his handsome, oval shaped face.  It was a mixture of frustration, fear and immense strain.  It seemed like acting in these movies and reliving these memories was taking a heavy toll on her trickster prince, as was the act of hiding himself.  Centuries of doing so and finally finding someone he could be himself with, only to have to keep hiding anyway, was obviously more grating to him than she could have ever imagined.  “I-I’m sorry Loki its just... you never really know who could be listening,” the assistant reasoned, reaching up to cup his cheek in an effort to soothe him.

The deity jolted at first, only to lean into her touch as his appearance instantly returned to normal.  Even the temperature was slowly rising again as his right hand came up to hold her own against his skin.  He closed his eyes as a content expression came over his beautiful visage, a low rumble bubbling up from his chest.  “You never have to worry about that with me.  I always erect a soundproof barrier when we’re alone,” he rasped, opening his eyes again as he leaned forward to nuzzle the junction of her neck.  His slightly cool tongue slipped out to slowly lave her pulse, both his hands slowly moving to her lower back.  Lissa could only moan, tilting her head back to expose more of her neck as her earlier lust was rekindled.  The powerful being above her only chuckled, murmuring things in an unfamiliar language that made her shudder slightly.

Loki was just about to dispose of their pesky clothing for a quick session of love making when the door to the trailer came flying open, bouncing off the wall of the tiny living room due to the violence.  The already tense male immediately shielded her with his tall, lean body out of instinct; a gloved hand coming up automatically as he prepared to use his magic to defend her if need be.  He was just about to use it, his gloved hand surrounded by a green, glowing light, when ‘Chris’ came in.  Pure green eyes going wide, he tried to dispel his powers but wasn’t quick enough; his disguised half brother’s eyes going wide as realization hit him like a ton of bricks.  “Loki... after all this time, you’ve been hiding yourself as a human actor?” whispered the bearded male, still dressed in his armor from the earlier scene.

“My name is Tom, Chris.  You’ve been working too hard.  You know we’re not really Loki and Thor right?” the deity turned thespian lied smoothly, subtly placing himself between his half brother and his pregnant lover.  If Thor got any dumb ideas, Loki much preferred to be the target.

The musclebound blonde wasn’t so easily deflected, his blue eyes narrowing as he pulled himself to his full, rather impressive height.  A large sledgehammer appeared in his right hand, the tiny vehicle quickly filling with a tense atmosphere as the two Gods faced off.  Lissa only watched quietly, fear filling her at the idea that Thor might very well decide to take Loki away.  She would never see him again and would more than likely end up raising his child alone, a prospect that made her feel sick in her soul.  “The director will be back soon, we should get on set,” she found herself suggesting, popping the growing danger like a soap bubble.

Both men turned to look at her, Loki looking both frightened and thankful.  Thor, on the other hand, looked just plain confused.  For a terrible moment, his grip tightened on his hammer.  Then he made the weapon disappear before stalking up to his disguised brother, stopping mere inches from touching him.  “I don’t know what you’re up to Loki but we’re far from finished here,” the Thunder God growled, punctuating each word with a poke to the taller, thinner male’s chest.  Then his cerulean gaze was travelling to Lissa and his eyes widened as comprehension dawned on his face.

“You’re pregnant...,” he whispered, looking more confused than before.  Thankfully that was the exact moment the director chose to stick his head into the open door.

“Oh Chris!  Great, now I don’t have to hunt you down too.  Come on, back on set.  We just have a few more scenes I want to go over,” the oblivious movie maker cajoled, a happy expression on his face before he left to gather the rest of the people.

Giving the brunette one last, curious glance and his half brother a suspicious glare, Thor took his leave.  As soon as he was gone, however, Loki was taking Lissa into his arms; a low growl bubbling up from his chest.  “Fuck, I was hoping to hide much longer.  There’s no way in Hel that bonehead will let this go and I can’t exactly run.  I’m far too well known to just disappear quietly,” he whispered, his gruff voice full of panic.

“He could have taken you right now if he had wanted to.  Why didn’t he?” the handler whispered, giving her charge a gentle push toward the still open door.

The taller, leather clad God only looked down at her thoughtfully, wrapping a strong arm around her waist as he led them out of the trailer.  “I don’t know and I’m not sure I like it.  Thor has never been one to trouble himself with thinking things through.  I would accuse him of planning something but that is also unlike him.  My brother is a good man but he really isn’t the type for subterfuge.  He normally just charges in and leaves the questioning for others,” Loki continued, allowing her to lead him toward the set.

“Maybe the sight of you willingly being around a midgardian threw him off, let alone the knowledge that I’m more than likely carrying your child,” she reasoned, not quite believing it herself.  Yet, the fact still stood that Thor had chosen not to act and neither of them really knew why.

“I don’t know and that’s what bothers me.  I do know one thing, I’ll not let them take me without a fight,” the trickster hissed, his eyes a sharp green as they fixed on ‘Chris.’

The armor clad blonde was standing in the middle of the set, a smile on his face like nothing had happened.  The only indication of anything different was the way his gaze followed them closely, as if he was waiting for his disguised relative to pull something.  When ‘Tom’ merely gave the other actor a nod, it seemed to throw the suspicious Asgardian off balance.  “Alright people!  Let’s continue from where we left off!” the director shouted into his megaphone, breaking the tense silence once again and seeming to snap both men into a sorta work mode.  It wasn’t too long before they were back in the scene but something had notably changed.  Instead of simply acting, it seemed like the pair were living out what was being shot.

Licking her lips, Melissa watched as the pair grew more and more serious; never taking their eyes off the other as distrust continued to grow between them.  The director, who was oblivious to the extreme change in energy, was delighted; thinking the two men were simply going above and beyond to make the scene more realistic.  The still queasy female on the sidelines was the only one who saw the growing danger.  All it would take was the slightest push and they would descend into a full on fight, using their powers and exposing their true identities to everyone in the building.  She could only hope and pray that things didn’t go that far but the daggers their eyes were shooting at eachother weren’t all that encouraging.  Thankfully it wasn’t much longer before the director yelled for a cut, congratulating everyone on a good day’s work.

Within moments, the twenty-eight year old found herself being drug bodily behind an anxious ‘Tom’, ‘Chris’ close on their heels with a determined expression on his chiseled face.  As soon as we were outside, the blonde deity was grabbing his half brother’s shoulder; only to find himself shoved into the wall of the building by a tight grip on his throat.  Ice meant verdant green as the pair stood toe to toe, the taller, black haired actor’s lips pulled up in a snarl to bare his teeth.  “I will warn you once Thor, let this go.  It has been many millennia since I escaped and I have yet to cause trouble.  I have finally found some measure of peace and I will  _ not _ hesitate to kill to keep it.  Even if it should mean disposing of you my dear ‘brother’,” the God of Mischief grated, his skin gaining a blue tinge as the temperature around them plummeted.

“Do you expect me to believe that after everything you have done!  You impersonated our father, possibly even brought about Ragnarok itself.  You despise Midgardians and you expect me to believe you willingly took one as a lover with no other motivation?” Thor returned, not seeming the least bit bothered by the tight grip around his muscled throat.  Loki only released a low snarl of rage in response, his grip tightening.

“You will never understand, you will never listen.  All you do is obey Odin blindly.  Are you never going to truly hear my side of things?  Yet you wonder why I only refer to you as my brother with derision,” the green and gold clad celebrity hissed, hurt and bitterness tinging his baritone voice.  Then he was shoving himself away from his relation to wrap an arm around Lissa’s waist.

“Hunt me if you like Thor but I was not the one who forbid you to marry Jane.  Nor was I the one who denied your request to grant her immortality.  I am not the target of your anger,” he continued, giving his stunned brother a level glance.  Then he was gently leading his lover away, a steady hand on the small of her back as she turned her head to watch the man they had left behind.  To her shock, he had slid to his knees and appeared to be crying into his large hands.

The next moment, she found herself in the hotel that had been acquired for all the actors; Loki sitting down on the bed with her cradled tightly in his arms.  His elegant nose burrowed into her brown hair and he closed his still green eyes as he inhaled deeply.  Well shaped, shaking hands moved delicately over her skin, as if he was afraid she would either break or disappear.  “Why do I have a feeling that the movies aren’t an entirely complete story of just what happened?” she whispered, her arms wrapping around him.  She felt just as scared, more disturbed by Thor’s lack of action than anything else.

“That’s because they aren’t.  There is much they leave out or get wrong.  Enough is left to tell the gist but not everything is shown,” came his response, his voice strained by anxiety as his lips began to brush her face.  There was nothing sexual behind the gesture, just a feeling of seeking reassurance.

“You and Thor lost loved ones,” she murmured, remembering his previous statements during his heat.  It had certainly sounded as if the former prince had lost a family before.  The look he gave her in response to her question only confirmed her suspicions.

“Yes, to Odin.  It is a very long story and very painful,” came the quiet reply, his arms tightening around her slightly.

“I would like to hear it.  I feel like I need to understand just what’s going on here,” Lissa insisted, ignoring the slight sting of guilt that pricked at her heart.  She felt she needed to hear this in order to make sure she knew just what kind of threat Thor was.  To her relief, Loki nodded before taking a deep breath and beginning to talk.


	15. Sad Romance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Sorry for the delays. Real world kept smacking me in the face. I will try to update more often but things are still shaky. Things will get finished though, I promise.

After it had been found out that he was a Jötunn, he found himself more alone than he had ever been.  Even his so called brother had abandoned him, treating him like was a beast like everyone else.  The only person who deigned to just touch him anymore was his adopted mother, Frigga.  She was the only one that gave him a reason to hold onto his humanity, let alone sanity.  Everyone else scattered, acting as if he would attack them without any provocation whatsoever.  The cherry on top of the shit cake had been when his so-called friends had silently ejected him from their circle without so much as a word to him.  Just remembering that day filled him with both sadness and intense rage.

The worst thing about the whole incident was that everyone had seemed to forget the person he was before they had found out he was the son of their enemy.  In an effort to try to ignore the crushing isolation he felt, the trickster had thrown himself into his potions and magic; almost never leaving his room.  This seemed to suit everyone else just fine with the exception of Frigga and one midgardian servant girl.  This silent female had been assigned to Loki years before the incident had happened and she continued to serve him, despite his extreme explosions of temper aimed at her.  She knew he didn’t mean it, he was just hurting.  Who could really blame him for lashing out when those he had called family and friend had abandoned him over the simple matter of his birth.

As it was, her presence had only seemed to aggravate his anger so she had taken to only cleaning when he had left.  She took it upon herself to organize his ingredients and potions using his preferred methodology.  She even cleaned and changed the sheets personally, even going so far as to leave a lunch she had made for him despite the fact she almost always found her hard work dumped on the floor outside of his room.  In fact, he went out of his way to undo all of her kindnesses; often wrecking his room beyond recognition before she came in for a daily cleaning.  It felt like he was trying to push her away, an observation that was probably depressingly true.  Sighing, Elise swept a lock of her strawberry blonde hair behind her right ear as she stared up at the closed door.

It was a never-ending cycle but she refused to abandon him, not when she was likely the only soul who made any effort besides the Queen.  What she would give to hear his laugh or have him flirt with her like before.  Granted his tricks of lifting her skirts or appearing behind her in order to make her drop something were annoying but they at least showed he was at ease with himself.  This odd quietness was both ominous and heartbreaking.  Lord only knew just what was going through the withdrawn Prince’s mind.  Shaking herself free of her depressing musings, the dress wearing human reached forward to knock on the closed chamber.  She wasn’t too awfully surprised when she got no response.  Closed her blue eyes, she shook her head slightly before opening the door and letting herself in.  She was so sure she was alone, that she was taken by surprise when she was slammed against the door as soon as she closed it.

A taller, slender body was pressed against her back, hot breath hitting the base of her neck as a large hand pressed her right cheek against the hard wood of the door.  “Why, why do you keep coming back!  I know you are mute but are you truly dumb along with that?!  Can you not see that you are not welcome here,” snarled the man she had been friends with mere months before.  Swallowing thickly, Elise merely closed her eyes and shook her head.

“Then why?!  Why do you insist on coming where you are not wanted Midgardian!” came a vicious snarl in reply, making her heart clench in her chest.  In all her years serving him, he had never treated her like this before.  She found herself feeling both scared and incredibly sad.

“Look who I’m talking to.  You’ve never spoken before, what makes me think you will now,” rasped the dark voice of the God who used to laugh and joke with her like an equal.

Then he was shoving away from her hard, causing her dress covered body to collide with the door with a loud thud.  She had hit so hard that the breath had been knocked out of her and she slid to her stocking covered knees as she wheezed.  “Get out and don’t come back, ever,” Loki hissed, his back turned to her as she tried to catch her breath.  It was then the maid made a decision, slowly getting to her shaking legs as tears filled her cerulean eyes.  Smoothing the green and black skirt she wore, Elise gathered her nerve before doing something she hadn’t ever since she had been captured by Thor and brought here as a servant.

“I won’t leave you sire,” she whispered, her sweet voice rusty from lack of use and making her wince at the roughness.  The tall Asgardian in front of her froze for a moment, turning his head slightly to look at her.  Utter shock now took over his blue-green gaze as he ever so slowly turned to face her.

“Did you... speak?” he breathed, his surprise taking away the coldness that had tinged his baritone before.

“Y-yes sire.  I’m afraid what you ask of me is simply impossible.  I will continue to do my duties while you are gone.  If I had known you were here I would have never...,” the young woman continued, stopping when the much taller male began to walk towards her.

The astonishment on his beautiful face was slowly replaced by dark rage and coldness rolled off him in thick waves as he closed the distance.  Instinctually, the servant backed up until her back was against the door; her wide eyes looking up at Loki.  As she watched; his skin gained a blue tinge, raised markings appearing slightly as his eyes faded into a frightening red color.  The air pouring off him was freezing, only getting colder as his fury grew.  “I know!  Why do you think I didn’t answer when you knocked?!  Not only do I find out you are thick headed but that you have been pretending to be mute this entire time,” gritted out the fuming God as his hands curled into tight, shaking fists.

“What would you have done in my place?  I had been taken from my family by your brother centuries ago and turned into an immortal due to my usefulness as a loyal servant.  I was afraid to speak for most of my time here simply because of how the Asgardians used to view us.  Even after attitudes had changed for a couple decades, I stayed quiet out of habit,” came the soft reply, the sadness in her tone briefly shocking him out of his mask of rage.

Looking down at the woman who had been a dear friend for a very long time, he saw deep sorrow for him reflected in her familiar eyes and felt guilt finally break through the wall he had constructed around himself to protect himself from more hurt.  Next thing he knew, he was on his knees with his long arms wrapped tightly around her thin waist.  His face was now burrowed in her green clad belly as he found himself sobbing out the long months of neglect and betrayal.  To make it all the more humiliating, the maid wrapped her own arms around him; petting his raven hair as she murmured soft nothings into his ear.  Yet, despite the indignity of the situation, Loki couldn’t bear to pull himself out of this comforting embrace.

An endless time seemed to pass for the pair, the once angry trickster clinging onto her like a security blanket.  If she so much as twitched, his grip would tighten for several long moments as every muscle in his body went tense.  It took several minutes of soothing to get him back into a relaxed state before the entire cycle would start fresh.  “I’m not going to leave sire,” she whispered over and over, secretly relishing the silky feeling of his hair running through her callused hands.

“Loki,” he rumbled, the sudden vocalization momentarily stunning the reddish gold haired female holding him.

“E-excuse me sire?” she whispered, her heart suddenly leaping into her throat as his scent began to almost press in on her.  It wasn’t until that moment that she realized just how close they were.

“Call me Loki,” breathed the powerful being, the energy around him changing from pain to something else entirely.  Something that made her body feel heavy and electric with an odd anticipation.  Then she registered what he had said and a strange heat washed over her as her eyes widened.

“Oh no!  I couldn’t!  It wouldn’t be proper!” Elise protested, wanting to back away but finding herself frozen in place by the almost hungry look he was giving her.  She had been around long enough to know what that look meant on the Prince.

Suddenly she found her lips captured in a sweet but possessing kiss, all her protests dying on her lips as want flooded her body.  “I don’t care for propriety at the moment.  Besides, I doubt they consider me much of a Prince anymore,” growled the being holding her as he nuzzled into her neck to lap at her pulse.

“S-sire..,” she began only to be stopped by a moan bubbling past her lips when he gave he skin a none too gentle nip.

“Please Elise, say my true name.  I haven’t heard it said in a gentle manner from anyone but my... mother for a long time,” he pleaded, the quiet vulnerability of his voice taking her breath from her in a rush.

“L-loki,” she breathed, rewarded with a burning kiss that threatened to singe her very soul.  Her hands flew up of their own accord to land on his leather covered back as her mouth seemed to respond of its own accord, her heart thudding against her ribs as fear and desire fought for top spot within her.

All her interactions with the deity had been laced with some undertones of sensuality but nothing held a candle to this.  She could practically feel his lust for her burning her skin as his tongue demanded entry into her mouth.  All she could do was comply, her body full of foreign but wholly pleasant sensations.  It felt like sparks of electricity were racing through her heated blood, gathering in her womb to create a ball of pressure that felt all too good.  Releasing an instinctual gasp, Elise suddenly found Loki invading her mouth.  To add to the confusion, she seemed to respond almost subconsciously; her own tongue twining with his as he practically claimed her.

An endless amount of time seemed to pass as his kiss turned from urgent to tenderly exploratory, seeming to try to coax her to respond a little more to him beyond the tentative tongue caresses she was giving him.  Making a surprised sound, the smaller female began to shyly explore his mouth in return.  He tasted sweet and strangely powerful, as if she could taste the magic he so easily wielded.  It was something she could easily get addicted to and she felt her heart cramp with longing.  Then she was breaking the kiss, a sob bubbling past her lips as she gave him an absolutely gutted look.  “N-no... I... we...  We shouldn’t my lord,” she breathed, doing her best to maintain control over her reaction to this simple kiss.

If she was honest, Loki’s flirtations had been more than welcome but had been wholly accepted as just a part of the Prince’s quirks.  She had long ago come to the conclusion that the dark male could have no interest in her, a lowly Midgardian maid.  Unfortunately, that realization hadn’t stopped just how hard she had fallen for him in her years of service.  Elise found herself inexplicably drawn to him despite the huge gap in their stations, driving herself to make him feel like he could confide in her.  Not only that but she had started going out of her way just to ensure she could spend even just a few moments in his presence.  She had wished for something like this to happen for so long that when it did, it only made it that much more painful that she couldn’t ever be with him.

So, taking a deep breath to compose herself, the young woman gave her lord an agony filled grin.  “Do not let your desperation for company drive you into the arms of one you wouldn’t normally go to,” she breathed, utterly shocked when the royal male took her lips even more aggressively.

“Is that what you think?  That I am only doing this because I no longer have every female falling at my feet?  Did you so easily forget all the time I would use my magic to lift your skirts?  What about those times I snuck up behind you just to smell that unguarded rush of lust you have for me when you notice me near you?  Or all the conversations we used to have late into the night?  Often so late you would end up asleep in my lap.  Do you think I do that with all of my servants?” he growled, something in his gravelly baritone making the coil forming inside her lower body pulse with desire as he interspersed his words with kisses.

“No, only you my little human.  Do you know why?” Loki continued, not giving her a chance to answer as he broke the lip lock to kiss his way to the junction of her neck.

Small pants left Elise against her will as her timid hands came up to rest on broad shoulders.  The Norse deity holding her released a pleased rumble against her marble skin before laving his tongue slowly over her racing pulse.  “You have always treated me well with no other motivation than to see me happy.  You never asked me for anything when I would have gladly given you anything you desired just for the lunches you made me.  On top of that, I could smell your growing feelings for me,” he sighed, giving her a nip as his hands settled on her hips; holding her lower body flush against his.

“I have often thought about claiming you long before my true heritage came to light.  I was waiting for the right moment to ask for your hand, my father be damned.  To hear you talk like he would about yourself...  I cannot bear it.  Not after what you have put yourself through for my sake,” came a deep, husky snarl as she suddenly found herself without the top of her dress.

Elise found herself caught between desire and mortification, his heated words ringing in her ears as her heart pounded.  Had he really meant what he said?  Did he feel as strongly for her as she did him?  More importantly, was he looking at her medium sized breasts with hunger or disappointment.  Fighting her urge to hide herself from the Prince’s gaze, the copper haired female watched the trickster appraise her rose tipped, milky orbs.  Then one of his hands released her back to tentatively touch one of her exposed breasts with shaky fingertips.  “Please, tell me you want this as badly as I do,” sighed Loki as he pulled back to look into her eyes.

She should have shoved him away.  She should have refused because of her station.  She should have argued that he could have anyone he wanted, that he didn’t have to settle for her.  Instead of any of this, the human allowed herself to want.  It was against everything that had been hammered into her head since her capture but she found she simply didn’t care.  She wanted what no one else seemed to and she couldn’t turn him away.  “I want you, Loki,” the young mortal whispered before daring to stand on her tiptoes and take his lips with her own.  An action that earned her a deep rumble of approval as his tongue swept along hers.

Suddenly she found herself on her back on his bed, the taller male looming over her as her head spun from the unexpected location change.  “I keep forgetting about that magic of yours,” the maid found herself sighing as the rest of her clothing simply disappeared.  Loki only chuckled, a lascivious gleam in his now green eyes.

“How silly of you,” rumbled his husky baritone as his own clothes disappeared from his lanky body.  Then his mouth was closing around a sensitive nipple, causing Elise’s back to bow as she bit her lower lip to keep in her cry of pleasure.

“Don’t do that.  Don’t hide your sounds of lust, need, hunger.  They are mine and I demand you give them to me,” growled the God above her as his right hand came up to play with the corresponding breast.  This drew a soft moan from her lips, only driving the fire in the male that was over her.

“Sounds like music.  One of the sweetest sounds I’ve heard in my long life,” Loki rumbled before he started kissing his way down her quivering body.  He only stopped when he reached the small dusting of reddish gold curls that crowned her most secret of places.

Burning eyes met hers as he simply stopped all movement, endless patience mixed with maddened urgency shining in his nearly glowing orbs.  She could have stopped all of this craziness right there.  She could have said no and gone on with the rest of her life but she would always wonder what could have been.  So, not knowing she was changing both of their fates irrevocably, the blushing Midgardian gave the Asgardian between her thighs a nod.  “Say it Elise, let me hear the truth from your lips,” demanded the dark trickster, his eyes not moving from hers as he waited for her answer.

“Yes Loki, I want you to do this.  I’ve never wanted anything more than I do at this moment,” she encouraged breathlessly, his clever mouth descending onto her as soon as the words left her.

His skilled tongue curled and teased a small button she never knew existed, drawing low moans from her as her hands curled in his ebony hair.  Each swipe of the dextrous muscle felt like lightning racing through her bloodstream, the sparks gathering in her womb to form a tightening coil of need.  “G-Gods Loki,” she gasped, her eyes fluttering shut as her hips arched up instinctually to meet his mouth.  The deity between her legs only unleashed a low growl against her, both hands pressing on her lower body to pin her against the mattress.  Then he was suckling on that small nodule in earnest, causing her vision to fill with white as unconscious keens bubbled past her lips.

Something long and slightly bony entered her aching slit as she began to feel something powerful build up within her.  Tensing at first due to the strange sensation, Elise relaxed when she realized it was one of her Prince’s fingers.  Then his tongue was swiping along that small spot that brought so much pleasure and her world shattered as she felt something break deep within her.  Vaguely aware of the fact that she was calling Loki’s name over and over, the maid did all she could to catch her breath as her lover brought her down from her high.  She had barely enough time to come back to herself before she found the much taller God crawling his way up her body as he placed himself at her entrance.  “We can still stop,” came a guttural growl, the sound of his voice calling to something primal deep inside of her.

“No, we can’t,” came a demand that was definitely her voice but still shocked her.  Loki also seemed stunned, giving her a surprised look before he was giving her a smirk.

“As you wish.  Just know that once I enter you, you are mine.  No other will be allowed to touch you on pain of death,” he warned, watching her reaction closely.

“I don’t want any other to touch me.  I have been yours for a long time now,” she confessed, gasping as he hilted himself inside her.

She only had a few seconds to wonder at the lack of pain before Loki was moving inside her, his intense eyes watching her closely.  “I took your virginity during your first orgasm.  I do not want you to feel even a moment of pain during our first coupling,” confessed the lightly muscled God as he brushed against something inside her that made her see stars.

“L-loki!” she gasped as her womb clenched into a hot ball of want.  The lithe male grunted in response before he began taking her hard and fast, his defined hips snapping into hers mercilessly.

“Elise...,” he gritted out, his voice holding a pained desperation as he reached between them to play with that wondrous little bundle of nerves.  This was enough to send her tipping into an oblivion of pleasure.  The last thing she was aware of before she passed out was his name slipping past her lips.

From that point on, the pair became inseparable; Loki not taking the care to hide his relationship with a mere servant from anyone.  For once, he was glad to be seen as unfit to be a Prince.  It left him with more freedom than he had ever experienced.  Odin simply seemed to not care if the the ‘abomination’ fraternized with the help and the trickster found this suited him just fine.  He was able to more freely show his affection for the immortal human, often having his arm around her waist when they were together.  He even placed kisses on her cheeks and lips, finding great joy in being considered pretty much invisible.  In fact, it made him much more bold with his sexual conquests; much to the consternation of his shy lover.

She often found herself pinned against a wall of a very public walkway, her Prince murmuring the filthy things he wants to do to her while people walk by.  Thus far she had been able to keep their escapades confined to the room but she had no idea how long that would last.  As it was, she already had a pretty good suspicion she already carried his child; a conversation she was  _ not _ looking forward to.  It had taken long weeks of talking to him to convince him he wasn’t a monster because he was truly a Jötunn.  She could only speculate what his reaction would be to a child.  Still, she knew she couldn’t keep it from him for much longer.  It had been a miracle she had been able to keep it a secret  _ this _ long, having to change her scent with the help of a confused Frigga.

That conversation had been awkward in and of itself, Elise finding herself in the awkward position of explaining Loki’s feelings.  To be honest, she hadn’t been too comfortable getting deep into it but the Goddess had understood entirely; finding her need to maintain trust with Loki admirable.  “I’ll help you but you can’t hide forever.  The longer you keep it hidden, the more you risk hurt feelings despite your intentions,” Frigga had warned wisely before offering her a potion that would mask the pregnancy hormones.

“Just be grateful that he has been too intoxicated by your affection to notice the change in your scent already,” the matriarch had continued, making doubt cloud her relief.  Had he noticed and he just hadn’t said anything in the hopes she would come forward first?  If that was the case, it was in her best interest not to let the God down.  If another person he trusted betrayed him in the smallest way, there would be Hel to pay.

Sighing, she looked up to see the object of her concerns coming into the library with his usual wantonous smirk on his handsome face.  It was then she felt her fear of telling him shaken by the guilt that she was practically deceiving him.  She could no longer justify keeping it from him, not matter what he reaction would end up being.  “Loki... I have done something terrible.  I have hidden something from you that I have no right to.  I am... pregnant with your child and having been using a potion to mask the scent,” she confessed in a rush, closing her eyes as she ripped away her guilt like a bandaid.  All she could hope was that he didn’t simply banish her from the palace or refuse to see her again.

“Y-you’re... why would you...,” came a broken sounding whisper, the hurt in his voice making her eyes fly open.  The devastation she saw on his oval features only served to enflame her already stinging guilt.

“I... was afraid you would not react well to the news,” she whispered, wishing she could close the small distance between them to bundle him into her arms.  The only reason why she restrained herself is she had no idea if her Lord wanted her anywhere near him after what she had done.

To her shock, her cold, arrogant Prince wrapped her into a tight hug as he peppered her face with kisses.  “You were afraid to... oh my precious darling...  Here I was thinking you couldn’t possibly want the child of a monster,” he confessed in a shaky voice as he lifted her into the air.  Then he was spinning her, both of them laughing in glee as contentment filled their hearts.  When he finally lowered her to hug her to him again, Elise nuzzled into his chest with a happy sigh.

“Never call yourself a monster.  I have never and will never see you as one and it hurts me to hear you refer to yourself like that,” she whispered quietly, half hoping he didn’t hear.

“I... will try but it is very hard not to see myself as everyone else does,” Loki uttered in an utterly broken tone, his vibrant eyes slipping closed as pain filled his expression.

“Then see yourself how I do,” the strawberry blonde requested, reaching up to cup his face.  The smile he gave in response filled her heart with love for this damaged man and she pressed a gentle kiss to his lips.

A mere two months later and Loki found himself outside his ‘father’s’ chambers, feeling very confused about why he had been summoned.  He was just about to raise his fist to knock when the patriarch’s booming voice demanded he enter.  “Eloquent as always...,” the trickster spat irritably, rolling his blue-green eyes before he opened the heavy, wooden door.  His heart plummeted into his stomach when he saw the man that had stolen him holding Elise at his side, a large hand around her neck.  Her wide, blue eyes were filled with fear as the ancient God glowered down at him.

“Close the door,” the one eyed giant demanded, watching as his adopted son obeyed like a puppet that was controlled by a drunk puppeteer.

Normally cool and collected, the lanky deity found his mouth dry as dread filled the pit of his stomach.  His hands itched to use his magic to save his lover and child but there was little he could do.  Odin was more powerful than he could ever hope to be, not only that but his guards would be on him as soon as he left the room.  His hands were well and truly tied.  “What is the meaning of this?  I could withstand a dalliance with something like her but to actually allow the conception of a child?!  What makes you think I would suffer such an abomination to live?!” snarled the older, larger man, easily towering over the one he had once called son.

“How dare you call our child an abomination!” Loki snarled, rage quickly replacing any fear he felt as his power began to flow around him.  Before he could so much as make a move, Odin was snapping Elise’s neck; allowing her to drop to the floor like so much garbage.

Loki was dimly aware of a howling noise coming up from his chest as his heart broke into pieces.  His vision blurred as he reached out for her body, guards stopping him just inches from touching her cooling flesh.  The last of her life slowly left her eyes as he was dragged away and shoved into a cell, left to rot as he went mad from heartbreak.  So, when a voice came to him in the darkness and whispered of revenge, he found himself listening.  Listening and liking what he was hearing more and more.


	16. Unexpected Company

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: More misunderstandings. Have to wonder what will happen.

As he finished talking, Lissa found herself coming out of what had been a very intense memory.  It was as if she was seeing things as they happened, feel what both parties could feel as he told her his story.  It was as if she had lived through it herself.  So, when she found herself in Loki’s familiar house instead of Asgard in the past, she had been more than just a little disoriented.  In fact, she even felt tears running down her cheeks; reaching up to touch the moisture with numb fingers.  Fingers that were soon grabbed in a gentle grip and kissed as her eyes slowly regained focus.  “Wh-what was...,” she began before her stomach was lurching and she was sprinting to the nearest sink. The gagging female barely made it in time to lose what little she had eaten over what she hoped were already dirty dishes.

A hand met her upper back at the same time one met her stomach and she could no longer find the energy to argue against what he was trying to do.  Especially when relief for her roiling gullet came in an instant.  “S-sorry,” she gasped, collapsing as all her strength left her at once.

“Nothing to apologize for darling.  I should have warned you what that would be like but I had forgotten it would be so distressing for a first timer,” rumbled a soothing, accented voice as she found herself scooped up into strong arms.  Then soft lips were resting on her forehead as she was carried gently.

“What was that?” she asked again, closing her eyes as she allowed her cheek to rest on his clothed chest.

“Ah... I guess you could say I drew some inspiration from your movies.  I made the memory into more of an experience.  I wanted you to be able to feel the true weight of what had happened.  I felt you deserved that much,” came the quiet, guilt-ridden reply.

“I’m glad you did but a little more warning would have been nice,” sighed the woozy professional as he laid her gently on silk sheets.  It was then she realized he had taken her to his room.

“I’ll keep that in mind for next time.  Right now I want you to have a nice lie down.  All of the activity and stress from earlier can’t have been good for you or our child,” murmured the worried deity as he changed her into a pair of loose pajamas with a wave of his hand.

This made the twenty-eight year old laugh, love for the towering man filling her heart.  “Loki, other expectant mothers do much more strenuous activity.  I’m certainly not ready for a nap,” she giggled, her merriment only growing when he gave her his patented Loki glare.

“But, I am willing to lay down for a bit if your are willing to sit with me and talk,” the reclining femme offered, her expression all innocence as the powerful being considered her words.  If he wanted, he could use his powers to tie her to the bed as well as even force her into sleep; a prospect that both frightened and excited her.  A fact she could only chalk up to pregnancy hormones.

“Alright luv, you win.  Besides, I’m always willing to spend time with my girl,” rumbled his rich baritone as he sat beside her.  Then, as if noticing how much empty space there was and how lonely she seemed, he was laying beside her on his side; wrapping a loose arm around her waist.

“I’m sorry you had to go through that.  No one deserves such horrible things,” Lissa whispered after a few moments, getting a soft puff of breath against her neck as the star nestled into her left shoulder.

“It was aeons ago but... I am in no rush to experience such a thing again.  I have missed you on the nights I go home Lissey,” sighed the sleek looking male holding her to him like a security blanket.

“Oh, you still go back home?” she teased, ignoring the obvious direction her lover was trying to take the conversation.  It wasn’t that she didn’t miss him too on the rare occasion when he had to go back to his flat, it was that she really wasn’t sure she was ready for this step yet.  This also wouldn’t be the first time he had brought it up since they had come home.

The handler was acutely aware of the small amount of time she had left to make things look good for her charge as well as the fact that window was rapidly shrinking each day she dilly dallied.  Also there was the added complication of Loki’s brother, who was also disguised as an actor, knowing she was pregnant.  Let alone him knowing just who Tom Hiddleston really was.  There was just no telling what would happen next, making her concerns about the paparazzi seem miniscule in comparison.  “Don’t tease pet, you now what I mean.  I can feel your loneliness as if it were mine.  What reason do you have to keep dodging me on this.  We both long for this and I tire of your excuses.  I also grow reluctant to have you away from me with Thor sniffing about,” growled the unearthly being beside me as he slowly sat up, jade green eyes staring down at her as he pursed his lips.

“H-how can you feel my loneliness?  Did you use your powers to establish a connection between us?” whispered the stunned woman as she met his gaze, letting out a breath she had been holding when blue came back into the green overtaking his orbs.

“I only did it to ensure you would be safe while I was gone.  If I felt any amount of distress, I could get back to you in an instant,” he reasoned, relaxing when she smiled at him.

“I’m not mad but I wish you had asked.  I won’t yell at you or refuse your magic just because its magic.  I just want to know what spells are used on me,” Melissa sighed, wrapping her arms around him and cuddling into his chest.

“Hmmm, says the woman who won’t let me alleviate her morning sickness,” he quipped playfully, a deep chuckle bubbling out of him when her milky cheeks turned a light pink.

“That different!” she began, her voice heated as his slightly cool lips stopped her words.

“Is it really?  I know your reasons but you could use those same reasons for a lot of things.  You could just push off my help as wanting to deal with it on your own.  An admirable trait but unneeded.  I am here to help make sure you two are safe and I simply won’t take no as an answer on some things,” he whispered, his deep voice holding a hint of authority that made her shudder.

“However, I will at least discuss them with you in the future and explain my reasons.  Sound fair?” Loki continued, his ultimatum shocking her just as much as it didn’t.  On the one hand, when she had simply know him as Tom, she had expected something like this with him.  However, now that she knew him as Loki, she half expected him to just take what he wanted; not having to hide his true self any longer.

“Sounds like a fair compromise to me,” the handler agreed, giving his chin an affectionate peck.  It still felt odd to freely show affection for him, even with her pregnancy and everything they had shared.

The taller, faster man holding her purred before capturing her lips, large hands spreading over her upper back.  “Though I think we’ve gotten a bit off track.  None of this has answered my most urgent question,” sighed the actor as he moved his lips to rest on her forehead.  Sighing, Lissa knew she was caught.  She really didn’t have a good excuse beyond simple nerves.  Even the pup that shared her lover’s true name had seemed anxious to leave her flat, sitting in front of her door and giving her an impatient expression more often than not.

“I don’t know... I just think we should go public for a while before I just move in,” she whispered, clinging onto the last reason she had.  Even that one sounded hollow, given that it was a miracle the paparazzi haven’t caught them yet.  Let alone the extra danger of Thor knowing way more than he should.

Even the shapeshifter holding her seemed to be incredulous about her reply, going still as a heavy silence filled the room.  “My patience is wearing thin kitten.  Very thin.  If I ask you when you want to go public, you put me off by saying you want to wait until more people see us together.  And so on.  Are you  _ still _ afraid of what the publicity will do to my career, even with my adopted brother on our heels?  It is truly remarkable,” snarled a cold voice that was pure and utter Loki, one of his hands coming up to grip my shoulder tightly as his chin came to rest on top of my head.

“I will allow you a few more days to decide how you want to play things.  Three at the most.  If you are not willing to at least go on a date by then, I will move you into my flat whether you want to or not.  I am not willing to compromise over your safety or having you away from me any longer than necessary,” he declared, the air in the room becoming frigid as his ire grew.

Lissa could only whimper, shuddering slightly at everything he was implying.  Oddly enough, something inside her was very tempted to see if he would go as far as he said he would.  Some part of her very much wanted to see the part of Loki she had seen in his memories.  A version of him that had been likely been long bred out of him by being Tom Hiddleston.  “Okay Loki.  What would you think about dinner tonight?” she whispered, feeling oddly nervous.  Sure she had slept with him but being on a date was far more intimate.  She would be alone with him for a few hours at least, no other people around to distract him or her.

Not only that but the people around them would no doubt see them as a couple, an intimidating prospect when everyone still saw him as his actor persona.  Just thinking about the stories that would spawn due to how fast their relationship was going made her head swim.  Then there was Thor, a man not exactly known for his subtlety.  She could very well see the brash God charging in during their date and blowing her lover’s cover.  To be honest, Tom Hiddleston being uncovered as a real life Norse deity would more than likely blow everything else out of the water.  “Mmm I would love to darling, provided you’re feeling up to it.  For now, I just want you to lay here,” murmured a soft rumble, bringing her back to the here and now.

Sighing, the handler rolled her chocolate eyes as slight irritation filled her.  She wasn’t used to inactivity and she was likely to go crazy if she was forced to stay in this bed for much longer.  All her earlier nausea had fled, leaving her with an energetic feeling.  She wanted to be doing something, not laying in bed and snuggling; as nice as this was.  The God holding her seemed to sense her energy, huffing slightly in amusement.  “Or, we could put some of that energy to use,” purred his raspy voice by her ear before he was giving her neck a nip.

His weight pressed her into the bed as the taller, handsome trickster hovered over her, a low noise of affection escaping him as he bent to nuzzle at her still flat tummy.  His winter field, thunder scent filled her nostrils the same time his achingly gorgeous face came into her vision.  “I love you Melissa.  Always remember that,” he breathed, leaning in for a kiss.  Their lips were just about to meet when a loud knocking came from downstairs.

“Stay here,” he snarled, his mood flipping from amorous to protective in an instant as he pulled from her.  Then he was heading to the bedroom door, his eyes closing as his powers extended outward.  He was sensing for who was at the door, wanting to change his tactics based on the information he received.

Realizing this herself, Lissa sat up; her heart beating in her chest as a million thoughts went through her head at once.  So, naturally, she disobeyed him entirely and got out of bed to stand by his side.  The arrogant being whirled to glare at her, only sighing when he saw the determination in her earthy orbs.  “It seems that there are a few things of your own you aren’t willing to compromise on.  It would be contradictory of me to fault you for that.  Just stay behind me.  Its Thor,” Loki whispered, unfazed when his lover’s small Corgi puppy simply materialized in the room.  The brunette, on the other hand, wasn’t handling her pet’s sudden appearance half as well.

She had very nearly forgotten the pup was once a part of her boyfriend, Lo-lo having acted more or less normally despite the revelation.  It was only now that she found herself reminded of his origins sharply, looking down at the stubby dog as he nuzzled up to her leg and whimpered.  “He felt my distress and came to help protect you.  It seems you and he have formed a very strong bond,” sighed the Asgardian who shared her pet’s name, an approving tone to his voice as he opened the door.

“Well I guess that’s fair.  I keep forgetting he’s a piece of you,” sighed the confused woman, following her powerful lover out of his room and down the stairs.  Her normally jolly Corgi followed close behind them, his overlarge ears pointed forward as his white upper lip lifted slightly.

Loki also seemed tense, grabbing her hand to keep her close as he slowly made his way to the front door.  “Stay behind me and don’t let on what little Loki is.  Don’t even call him by his real name,” hissed the stressed male as he reached forward to open the door.  What they saw made them both very nearly faint from sheer shock.  Thor looked downright ill, his once tanned face now an unhealthy, ashen white.  He had gone from looking robust to utterly gutted, his agony filled eyes moving to Lissa.

“Loki...,” he began, stopping when his brother gave him a heated glower.

“Easy, take a good look at him.  Lets at least let him past the threshold before we start condemning him,” Lissa reasoned, gently pulling the fuming deity back so the Norse God of Thunder could enter his house.  Her Corgi didn’t seem as inclined to back off quietly, letting out a quiet growl before moving to stand in front of the assistant.

Thor only winced, moving a large hand through his curly, blonde hair as he walked into the large house.  He opened his bearded mouth to say something when his suspicious sibling cut him off by assuming a defensive posture.  “Say your piece and leave!” Loki bristled, ignoring the hushing that came from his lover and handler.

“I came to bring you home, where you belong.  Father thought...  We both thought you were laying low, plotting.  Now... I find it hard to see this as an act,” the strangely submissive warrior whispered, his eyes travelling to the female his sibling hid.

“Hmph, if I did not know you so well; I could almost accuse you of trying to trick me somehow,” hissed the ebony haired male, his hands curling into tight fists as a green light appeared around them.

“As it is, I find I have very little taste for ‘family’ right now,” he continued, the venom in his voice fading for hurt and betrayal as he kept himself between his relation and the woman who carried his child.

“You can’t blame us for not trusting you after...,” began the well meaning behemoth, stopping when the man across from him made a cutting motion with his hand.

“I  _ can _ blame you for what happened before.  Especially him!  Or has he not told you the entirety of his  _ own _ crimes?” snarled the deity disguised as a movie star, an old bitterness tinging his icy tone as unconscious tears tracked down his pallid cheeks.  There was a hint of blue to his skin tone now, cold pouring of him in waves as his green eyes flickered to deep red and back.

“Wh-what are you talking about brother?” the well-meaning oaf whispered, genuine confusion coloring his tone.  This was  _ not _ the right way to respond.

The taller, spell-wielding deity went utterly stiff, his nostrils flaring as a sharp snarl left him on exhale.  “Of course you would not know.  No, you were too busy shunning me along with the rest of them!  Shunning me for the incident of my birth!  Of course you would not remember her, though she tried her hardest to be your friend in the beginning!  It seems I am the only one who does!  Even this world’s unknowing historical account of the events leaves her out!  Me and... me and mother...,” he whispered, slumping as the rage he held in the beginning subsided for heartbreak and bone deep weariness.

“Fuck... she was immortal and time still saw fit to erase her like so much useless dust.  The only thing that exists of her is my memory and the hole she left in my heart when the man you call father snapped her neck for daring to carry my child.  An abomination he called it...  I wonder what he would call himself if he used the same judgement he would use on me.  If another Asgardian had been brought before him for killing a pregnant female, they would have been executed on the spot,” whispered the broken trickster, blue gradually returning to his eyes as he pulled Lissa to stand by his side.

“Brother... I...,” Thor tried again, getting a sharp shake of the head that interrupted him once more.

“No... do not call me that.  Talk to mother.  Learn what she knows.  Only come back when you truly understand what it was that caused me to become what I was.  Do not bother me again until we stand on equal ground in this regard,” whispered Loki, something leaving him as depression began to ripple off his aura.

“You could have no idea what it is to lose something...,” the oblivious son of Odin bit back, turning on his heel and storming out as the darker brother released a bitter laugh.

“Oh dear ‘brother’,” he hissed, spitting the word like it was something that fouled his mouth, “you merely watched your lover grow old and die.  You watched your halfling children live their full lives and die.  I envy you having at least that opportunity.”  Then the golden giant was gone, leaving his broken sibling alone to break down.  It was all Melissa could do to hold him and murmur soft nothings as she pet his inky hair, her heart clenching for the pair of men.


	17. The Other Shoe Drops

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Well... this chapter should be interesting :3

It was a rather unusual morning, the air fraught with tension from the moment she awoke.  Which was a shame given how nice their date had been last night.  Loki had been every inch a gentleman he had portrayed himself to be as Tom, pulling out her chair, opening doors and even ordering for her after asking what she wanted.  They had shared some wine and swapped stories, Loki sharing amusing tales about his adoptive Midgardian family.  Everything had been perfect, the only hitch coming at the end of the night when he had slid back into the God she saw in the movies and demanded she stay with him for the night.  After running in with Thor twice that day, she found it hard to argue his point.

Especially with how heavy the air felt as she lay in bed next to a likewise tense deity.  Instead of addressing the odd tension, he simply sat up; waving a hand over her stomach to soothe her morning sickness before it could happen.  At this point she didn’t have the strength to fight it.  Before, it had felt noble to suffer through the dry heaving and misery.  Now, she felt silly for ever refusing him; finding the ability to keep down food in the morning a blessing.  “Come on, let’s get you up and dressed.  We have to get you down to set,” the assistant sighed, getting out of the bed she shared with her client.  Loki only smiled at her wryly before getting out of bed himself, revealing the fact that he was very naked.

Lissa couldn’t stop her earthy eyes from moving downward, a slight pulse of lust rippling through her nethers when she saw he stood at full attention; the weeping tip almost seeming to beg for her attention.  In fact her body seemed to be moving towards his despite the heaviness of the atmosphere.  Seeming to notice this, the gorgeous actor purred before helping to close the distance and wrap his strong arms around her.  Then he was squeezing, his nose burrowing into her neck as he inhaled deeply.  “I have a feeling something may happen today.  Stick close to me,” he whispered, his blue-green eyes locking on her as he backed away slightly to give her a haunted look.

Reaching up, the pregnant brunette pressed her lips against his as she moved a hand between them to grasp his rock hard manhood.  It pulsed hotly in her hand, feeling more like silk covered metal than any part of the human body.  Then she began to move her hand, relishing in the heated moan he released against her lips.  His tongue swept slowly into her mouth as his breathing increased,soft noises leaving him as she moved faster.  As he whimpered and leaned into her, his breaths growing shaky when she increased her speed; causing a warm feeling of self satisfaction to fill her.  “Lis,” he breathed, going stiff as warm cum spurted onto her palm and arm.

“I love you Loki,” she sighed, allowing herself to be his lover and not assistant for a few moments.

“I love you too Melissa, so much more than I can ever express,” breathed the shaky male, a smile on his pale face.  Some of his inky hair hung in his eyes, giving him a sexily disheveled look as he recovered from his orgasm.

With a low purr, he tightened his hold on her until she was pressed tightly against him.  His sharp nose nuzzled her hair affectionately, a huff of contentment sighing out of him as his large hands roamed her back.  “If we didn’t have to leave soon, I would gladly return the favor.  As it is, would you care to compromise and join me in a shower?” purred the far too suave Asgardian holding her.

“I would love to but I have a condition of my own.  Try to keep your own words in mind, eh?  We only have time for a quick breakfast before we have to run.  Thank God we have your car.  Ol Sarg doesn’t exactly start on a dime anymore,” she conceded, snickering when the proud deity gave her a pout as he nuzzled her nose with his.

“I know darling.  Just seeing your lovely body naked will have to be enough,” he sighed in a playfully put upon tone, ushering her into the small room ahead of him.

True to his word, he mostly kept contact between them platonic; a hint of longing behind his touches but nothing more.  His hands’ favorite place to linger seemed to be where the small dot that was their child rested, his chin perched on her shoulder as the warm water beat down on their bodies.  All too soon, they had to wash and dry themselves; getting on their clothes for the day before leaving the disguised celebrity’s room.  Loki insisted on making breakfast for the two of them, making Lissa sit at the table while he cooked.  Knowing she wasn’t about to win this argument, she simply complied with a sigh.

To her surprise, the God turned out to be a pretty good cook; making some french toast, sausage and eggs for the both of them.  Grateful that she was able to eat this meal because of his magic, the handler dug in with gusto; her amused lover planting a kiss on her cheek before taking a seat beside her.  “At least mother’s cooking lessons didn’t go entirely to waste,” he chuckled, a slightly rueful tone to his voice as he began to eat his own food.

“Frigga must have been some woman if she was able to convince Odin to allow one of his sons to take up something as womanly as cooking,” the brunette teased lightly, smiling when he laughed in response.

“I wish you could meet her.  She would adore you and try to get you in as many dresses as she could.  She always wanted a daughter,” Loki sighed, mirth and a shade of homesickness coloring his blue-green gaze.  Lissa could only reach over and place a hand over his, sorrow for him filling her heart.

After everything he had told her, she knew it had been an extremely long time since he had seen the woman he considered his mother.  Millions upon millions of years, an unimaginable amount of time for any mortal.  He had to miss her horribly, even more so now that he was expecting a child.  He would no doubt want to show off the child to her, even allow the babe to be spoiled by her and he just wouldn’t have that chance thanks to the men he called brother and father.  “I wish I could have met her too.  Maybe, some day, I’ll get to,” she whispered, the fact that she was mortal not lost on her.  In time, he would lose her and more than likely their child as well; a realization that hurt her soul.  Despite all his best efforts, he was destined to wind up alone in the end.  It was no wonder he was desperate to spend as much time around her as he could.  In the grand scheme of things, the life of her and their child would be but a blink of his eye.

As if sensing the direction her thoughts had taken, Loki lifted her hand to place a loving kiss on the top.  “Whatever happens, I’ll not lose either of you.  I will go up to Asgard and behead Odin with my bare hands before I lose my family again,” he rumbled, his words holding a strangely deadly tone before he was clearing the plates with a wave of his wrist.  Then he was gently pulling his assistant and lover to her feet, grasping both her upper arms before pressing an affectionate kiss to her forehead.

“Enough of that now.  We have a lot to do and I just know that Thor has gone and done something stupid after what he found out.  Be on your guard and stick close to me,” he all but demanded, his eyes now a glowing green as he assumed the posture of the Prince he once was.

Stunned by the change in behavior, Lissa nodded silently; following close behind as he led the way to his sleek looking, black Jaguar.  “Knowing the oaf, he did go to mother but he probably also went to Odin, demanding to know if the allegations are true.  If that’s the case, Odin is more than likely setting up an army of his warriors to invade Midgard to find me.  However, since I see a lack of humans flooding the streets in a panic, I doubt that has happened as of yet,” he informed, his voice low, oddly cold and clipped, as if he was barely restraining an urge to harm someone.

The professional that followed him opened her mouth to speak, only to shut it again.  There was really nothing she could add that would help the situation.  So she just got into the left side of the car, finding the British set up for vehicles very foreign compared to her American made T-bird.  If she ended up having to junk Ol Sarg, she would have to buy one of these; a thought that honestly made apprehension crawl all over her skin.  She doubted she would be able to handle it without a fair amount of crashes simply because she was so acclimated to her American car.  Hell, it had taken months for her to get used to the roads alone; old habits making her long to drift to the wrong side of the road.  She was so distracted by her own inner ramblings that she didn’t notice they had reached their destination until Loki was opening her door for her.

Giving the disguised deity a small smile she got out of his car and lead the way to the set, the director patiently waiting for them inside.  As soon as he saw them come in, he approached them with a wide smile; opening his mouth to tell them what scenes he had planned to work on today.  It was then a loud boom of what could only be called thunder filled the spacious studio.  “Fuck,” Loki hissed, shoving her behind his back as he pulled himself up to his full height; allowing his innate magic to swirl around his closed fists.  The director, who had been standing next to him, could only look at him with confusion as well as amazement.  Thankfully the green glow around the actor’s hands became the least of his problems.

In the span of a few seconds, a bright, rainbow colored light filled the room and then it was gone; leaving Thor and a man who could only be Odin by his side.  The imposing patriarch towered easily over all of them, his long white beard flowing down to his chest and his one blue eye glaring at them as if they were bugs to squashed.  It was almost haunting the amount of resemblance he had to Anthony Hopkins but he was much taller and more buff than the elderly actor she had come to consider her grandfather.  He also exuded a certain power and arrogance that no one could hope to match unless they were him.  As soon as his one eye landed on Loki, it narrowed and he got into a fighting stance; one hand on his sword.

Everything descended into chaos from there, various extras, actors and stagehands asking just what was happening.  Even the director was gobsmacked, his mouth hanging open as his brain tried to reconcile what his eyes were seeing.  “Chris, what?” he gasped out, gaping like a fish as he took in the golden armor the man was wearing.  A grim expression was on the actor’s face, his golden curls hanging slightly in his blue eyes as a large hammer appeared in his right hand.

“You dare to speak to Thor Odinson as if he is your equal?!” boomed the commanding voice of Odin, sounding so much like Tony and yet not.

“Peace father, these Midgardians are entirely ignorant to what I really am.  He means no harm and is very likely extremely confused.  We are merely here to retrieve my brother, not kill innocent people,” the Norse God of Thunder soothed, his regret filled eyes landing on Loki.

The taller, slimmer male only glowered back, betrayal clear in his green orbs.  “Lissa, I need you to run luv.  I’ll be right behind you,” he breathed, shoving her subtly as his clothing shimmered and morphed on his body.  Soon he was standing before her in his full armor, the horned, golden helm perched on his head as he formed a shimmering sword out of his magic.

“Tom?!” the still shell-shocked director gasped out, startling backward from the star of his movie.  Odin only boomed laughter, the sound sardonic and cutting; as if he was disgusted by the ignorance of the human before him.

“Tom, is that what he’s been calling himself now?  You see Thor, he has been deceiving them like I told you.  It is time to end this game of his, whatever it is.  This Midgardian female is just a pawn on his chessboard,” the older deity snarled, distaste clear in his voice as another rainbow light began to form behind him.

“Run Lissey!  Get the fuck out of here!” Loki screamed before he charged at the two people he used to call family.

Blinking the brunette sprung into action and did as she was told, turning tail and running only God knew where.  Behind her she heard Odin order what she assumed was a large group to attack and subdue her lover.  Her heart turning into a ball of pain in her chest, she ran blindly out of the building; ramming right into the chest of someone.  “Lis?  Darling what...?” began a familiar, male voice before arms were wrapping protectively around her.

“Shit, let’s get you away from here luv,” hissed the person she now knew for sure was her ex as he ushered her away from the studio.

The next thing she knew, she was in his car; buckling in as he fumbled with his keys.  Then he was starting the car with a roar, stomping on the gas as he sped away from the studio; just in time to avoid a magical explosion that flew out of the building.  “Christ, looks like you got yourself involved in quite the adventure.  Did Tom piss off someone he shouldn’t?” her former fiance hissed, looking in the rearview as he sped down the road.

“Jeremy, its a long fucking story.  Right now we need to pick up Rissa and go to my home to pick up a few things.  I’ll explain as we go,” she clarified, not at all surprised when her Corgi puppy suddenly appeared in the back seat.  What did surprise her was Jeremy’s reaction to the unusual happening.

Instead of freaking out or swerving, the calm englishman simply raised a brow; smiling as the dog crawled into his owner’s lap.  To her further astonishment, he began to mutter some strange language to her pet.  A language the canine seemed to understand, his oversized ears perking forward as he paid attention.  To finish off the weirdness of her day, no her century, her puppy began to speak back; his voice an eerie echo of her lover as he spoke in the same language Jeremy was using.  When he looked back up at her, he gave her a grin before turning his attention back to the road ahead of him.  “I think I already have a fair idea what’s happening my dear but I feel I have a few things of my own to explain,” he sighed, heading towards the building his former fiance worked at.

“Are you an Asgardian like Odin, Thor and Loki?” the stunned handler whispered, staring at her dog with a gobsmacked expression.  Lo-lo only grinned up at her, his oddly green eyes glittering with an inner mischief.

“I’m afraid so.  I used to be Loki’s magic teacher when he was young, though I doubt he remembers.  It was long before what would eventually become your world even existed,” he confessed, a nostalgic smile on his gaunt but handsome face as he continued to drive to their destination.

Lissa absorbed this new information in silence, rubbing her pet as her thoughts drifted to his human counterpart.  From the way he acted, Loki had no clue about Jeremy’s real identity; if Jeremy Irons was really even his real name. “I followed the Prince to Midgard long ago.  Frigga had compelled me to keep an eye on him and I would be lying if I said I wouldn’t have done so anyway.  In my short time with him, he was like a son to me; so bright and eager to learn.  We used to talk before all that nonsense about his heritage was uncovered.  I wanted to make sure he would be alright after he escaped,” he murmured, suddenly seeming very tired as a deep sadness came into his weary brown eyes.

“Boy... the Gods have a strange sense of humor,” she sighed, the fact that she had been close to marrying Loki’s teacher not lost on her.  It would have been funny if it wasn’t so horribly sad.

“Is Jeremy even your real name?” she continued, her heart aching and tired from everything she had learned recently; let alone the fact her lover was in very real danger.  To tell the truth, she was fed up with finding out the men she cared about weren’t the people she thought they were.

“Yes darling.  My mother loved Midgard and gave me names she had fallen in love with.  My father wasn’t around to complain,” he replied, reaching over to grasp her hand in his to offer some form of reassurance.

Lissa smiled, shaking her head as she let out a slow breath.  “I don’t even have to ask if you’re the same person.  I know you well enough to know you would never lie to me, much like Loki,” she sighed, giggling when the Corgi in her lap jolted slightly at his name.  Jeremy only chuckled warmly, a callused thumb brushing over the top of her hand as he swung into her work place.

“We had better hurry.  I don’t know how much longer he can hold off the entire army of Asgard alone.  Loki is skilled and has grown in power over the billions of years but even he has his limits,” the actor announced, getting out of the car at the same time his former fiance did.

“We won’t have to worry about that.  Rissa has known me long enough to just go when I say go,” the assistant assured as she sprinted for the building, her heart pounding in her ears as she tried to ignore her growing worry for her missing lover.


	18. Just Who is the Bad Guy Here?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: And things begin happening very quickly. Also sorry for the delay. Sprained my wrist and its been hard to write.

As soon as Jeremy was parked, Lissa was out and running; ignoring the strange looks she was getting from the various actors and assistants going to and from the building.  Speed was of the essence, everything else could take a backseat.  The only thing that stuttered her steps was seeing Tony out of the corner of her eyes.  The older male was giving her a concerned look, the resemblance he had to Odin almost making her skin crawl.  Then he was following, much to her ex’s amusement and her horror.  “Melly, just what the Hell is going on?” he asked as he caught up to them, moving surprisingly fast for a man his age.

“I don’t think you’d believe me if I told you and I don’t have time to stop and explain,” she responded breathlessly as she continued to move, flinging the door to the building open and startling everyone who was sitting in the lobby.

Marissa, who had been on the phone with one of their clients, rapidly excused herself before gathering her purse.  Instead of asking any questions, the redhead began heading to the door, meeting the small group halfway.  The two friends gave eachother a nod before turning as one and going out of the building.  Soon all four of them were in Jeremy’s car, Anthony refusing to leave Lissa until he knew just what was going on.  His confusion only heightened when the Corgi puppy he was so familiar with teleported onto his lap and gave him a goony grin.  “Well, it seems like Lo-lo has deemed you trustworthy.  But I really don’t relish telling you any of this,” sighed the assistant, all too aware of the two pairs of eyes watching her from the back.

“A lot has happened this morning.  I barely know where to begin,” she sighed, smiling when all three people in the car tried to offer comfort in their own way.  Then she took a deep breath and began talking, Jeremy driving to her house.

By the time they had reached her humble abode, the two newcomers had been fully informed of just what was going on as well as what Tom’s real identity was.  While it would have normally been very hard to believe, her dog’s earlier teleportation helped lend credence to her words.  Still, it was a lot to take in and the two in the back simply absorbed the information in silence.  “So, you’re saying that all those movies we watched, that you’ve been helping Tom make.  They really happened at some point in our universe’s history but not our current world’s and Tom is actually Loki Laufeyson,” Rissa clarified, raising a playfully speculative brow as she fairly twitched in place.

The brunette, recognizing her long-time companion’s body language, huffed in amusement before giving her own answer.  “I’m afraid so,” she sighed, sounding overly sad and dramatic as the englishman to her right pulled into her driveway.  Tony, who had been silently contemplating everything he had been told, watched the odd exchange with a grin of his own.  He and Jeremy had seen this often with the two females, both of them acting closer than sisters at times.  In fact, both males knew what was coming next and slowly unbuckled their seatbelts to get out of the car.

“Is he as good in bed as we speculated?” purred the devious, green eyed femme as she got out as well, drawing a laugh from Lissa when she followed.  The Corgi had long since teleported out of the car, waiting for them by the front door with an impatient expression.

“Oh you wouldn’t believe Ris!  It’s too bad he’s so loyal or I’d offer to let you have a one time go at him,” giggled the brunette, laughing harder at the disappointed expression on her friend’s face.

“Damn, I guess that means there’s no way we can get him to consent to putting on a show with your former fiance,” sighed the put out secretary, humor glimmering in her sea-green eyes when Jeremy visibly reddened and audibly cleared his throat.

“I think you know better than that anyway.  You’re just as huge of a Loki fan as I am.  You just wanted to see poor Jeremy’s reaction to our silly fantasies,” Melissa chastised lightly, clearly not meaning a word of it as she unlocked her front door to let her impromptu guests in.

To be honest, she appreciated Rissa’s attempts at distracting her with humor.  She knew it made the situation no less dire but it did help reduce her stress, something that was needed if she was going to keep a clear head.  As soon as they were all inside, the twenty-eight year old was delegating with ease; years of being an assistant to people who usually never had to care for themselves coming in handy.  Rissa was sent to pack a large suitcase while Tony was sent off to gather medicine as well as first aid supplies.  With everything that was happening, they needed to be as prepared as they could.  This left her and Jeremy in charge of gathering food as well as other camping supplies in case they needed to spend time on the run.  The entire time they were doing this, her Corgi was waddling around with a thoughtful expression on his furry face.

Then he was scampering upstairs as fast as his stubby legs could carry him.  Lissa could only stare for a moment, fighting the urge to laugh at how he looked when he ran.  Ever see a Corgi run?  Its literally the most adorable thing ever and can lighten any situation instantly.  Snorting a bit, she got back to work gathering canned goods; thanking Tony when he came up with a few of her travelling bags as well as a tote filled with what medical supplies she had.  Given her job, she kept a huge amount of emergency items on hand just in case one of her clients had an accident on set.  She had even gone so far as to take a full on first aid course, making her qualified to perform many procedures if need be.  She had wanted to be prepared for any situation, not wanting a death on her hands even if it wasn’t her fault.

Smiling at Sir Hopkins as he began to help gather food, Lissa found herself grateful that she had prepared so much.  If any of them got injured, she would be able to help if it wasn’t too severe.  She even knew how to set bones, stitch wounds and how to take care of burns.  Bar any of them needing major surgery, they would be fine for a little bit.  A strange dragging noise brought the assistant back to the here and now and she found herself looking around to see where it was coming from.  What she saw nearly made her fall over laughing.  Her adorable little puppy had taken it upon himself to try to drag down one of her sleeping bags.  The thing had to be three times his size and she was honestly surprised he had made it as far as he had.  Still, she had to admit the canine had thought of something she hadn’t.  “Good puppy Loki, er, I mean Lo-lo,” she praised, fighting the giggles as she felt Jeremy come up behind her.

“Heh, he’s cute.  He looks just like the one who made him.  I’ll go get the rest, shall I,” offered the older actor, giving her a smile before heading upstairs.  Tony stayed behind, still looking a bit shell-shocked but taking things in stride all things considered.

“I still can’t believe all of this isn’t some dream.  You say this Odin looks just like the character I play on screen?” he asked, his accented voice incredulous as his blue eyes glimmered in confusion.  Looking up at him to respond, Lissa had to fight the innate urge to shudder at the resemblance he was asking about.

“All too much.  If it wasn’t for the fact that I know he’s currently occupied with Loki, I would think you were him in disguise.  I’ve heard of dopplegangers before but this is just eerie,” she replied, waving Rissa over when she came down with a few suitcases.

“Jeremy offered to get the rest despite tackling the sleeping bags, bless the man,” gushed the coppery haired femme as she set down her load.  Just as she finished speaking said actor simply reappeared downstairs, the items he had gone to get floating around him via his magic.  Yet, unlike Loki, he seemed unable to keep it up for long; setting the items on the ground as soon as he appeared.

Lissa gave him a small smile before finding her gaze going to her front door.  It had been a long time since they had left Loki to his two relatives and the possible army of Asgard.  Could he have been taken and she didn’t know it?  Could he even now be getting thrown in the dungeons, never to see the light of day again?  An unconscious hand moved to her slightly chubby but still rather flat stomach.  An action that wasn’t missed by any of the people in the room.  “Mels?  Are you...  during that week with To... I mean Loki...,” Rissa began, her voice stunned as her eyes locked on her friend’s hand.

“Mare... I would have told you at some point after we had gone public.  I’m pregnant,” Melissa confessed quietly, bracing herself to be tackled by her practical shadow.

“Is this true?” Anthony and Jeremy asked in unison, one looking excited while the other looked shocked and a bit hurt.

“Y-yeah... but we don’t have anymore time to dally we have to get somewhere safe,” Lissa urged, growing more and more apprehensive the longer it took her lover to show up.

“I agree,” Irons agreed, his eyes closing briefly as he took a hand and waved it in the air.  This caused a human sized oval to shimmer and open in the middle of the kitchen, looking like a hole to another house had temporarily appeared in her own.

“You first my dear.  I don’t want you lifting anything heavy in your condition,” the graying celebrity offered, his eyes holding questions despite his even tone.

Sighing, the handler nodded in acceptance.  She could tell by the expressions on Tony’s and Rissa’s faces that she wasn’t about to win this fight.  The man she had considered her grandfather was giving her a stern look while her closest friend seemed about to shove her through herself.  “Will Loki be able to find us?” she asked, bending down for her pet to hop into her arms.

“Unless I hid your energy signature from him, he would find you in another dimension.  You and he have a very strong connection thanks to how strong he feels about you.  I don’t think I’m wrong in saying he loved you since he laid eyes on you.  Now go on.  He will join us when he’s able,” the disguised Asgardian pleaded, his chocolate eyes fixed on her until she gave another nod and went through the portal.

On the other side, she was in a house she had never seen before.  She had lived with Jeremy for years and this wasn’t the house he had lived in.  It almost looked like a refurbished castle, the walls undecorated, gray stone.  Even the floors were stone, carpet covering it here and there.  She had appeared in a huge sitting room, complete with a stone fireplace.  The only things modern were the furnishings, large, comfortable couches and chairs set up in front of the fireplace; making her heart ache from the resemblance to a certain cabin she had spent a week at.  A week that had resulted in her current condition.

Just then Marissa came in from the portal, breaking her out of her morose thoughts when she let out an admiring whistle.  “Dang Jerry, never knew ya had such nice digs,” the more boisterous female declared, setting down her burden of several bags to walk in like she owned the place.

“I do believe I’ve asked you not to call me that,” sighed Jeremy in an accepting but irritate tone as he brought in his own load.

Rolling her eyes, Lissa let down her puppy; who immediately began to sniff around with his nubbin of a tail wagging wildly.  Anthony Hopkins also came through, his azure eyes examining the building they were in as he set his own pile down.  “Forgive me but I never delved much into these Superhero movies beyond the script I was given.  Isn’t Loki the one we should be running from?” the seventy year old man asked, startling when a loud noise came from the other side of the portal they had just come through.  Whirling around, Jeremy began to close the portal just as Thor broke through her front door.

The Thunder God’s eyes were wide and full of fear, one of his hand reaching for the disappearing hole.  “Wait!” he called out just as the portal closed, leaving his fingers to brush over empty air.  Over-balancing, the blonde panted heavily as he looked around with wild eyes and fought not to fall over on his handsome face.  A horrifying sounding cough that sounded full of liquid came from the door he had just broken down, a thin figure leaning on the doorframe.

“I told you they would not trust you,” spat a raspy baritone, full of pain and bitterness.

“I didn’t hear you offer any better ideas brother,” sighed the defeated blonde, turning to face Loki with worried eyes.

The taller, thinner male was bleeding heavily through a sword wound in his gut, a head wound from Thor to match.  Making a strange, rattling, hacking sound deep in his lungs, the trickster spat blood before allowing his lean frame to sink to the linoleum.  “Ever think that I wanted to allow them to get away?  I don’t trust you to stay on my side at this moment,” he hissed, his pure green eyes tired and wary as blood matted his ebony hair to his forehead and cheeks.

“You did attack me after all.  You only decided to ‘save’ me because Odin came very close to killing me,” Loki continued, his grating, fluid filled voice sounding angry despite how tired he seemed.

“I thought...  Father said..,” the older, more muscular man began, only getting an unhealthy sounding laugh for his trouble.  More blood bubbled free of the injured male’s mouth and he closed his glowing eyes as he leaned his head back against the wall by the doorframe.

“I take you didn’t listen to a word mother said.  Just listened to Odin as usual.  No ‘brother’, I surrendered as soon as Lissa was safe as you saw.  Yet he still saw fit to try to execute me,” whispered the Asgardian turned actor, more blood seeping out from under his hand due to the sword that had gone straight through him.  Already, his body and magic were working to heal him but it would take much more time.  Odin had used an iron sword, an implement that dampened his innate powers.

“It does not make sense!  Father is acting almost beyond reason!  What is it about you that he fears so much?” the confused Norse deity asked, growing more afraid the more blood left his adopted sibling.

“I don’t know anymore than you do.  I’m just glad Lis and our child are safe.  Though I have to wonder who formed the portal in the first place,” Loki replied, gurgling every time he breathed in and wincing every now and again as he felt his muscles slowly knitting themselves back together.

“Do you have enough energy to follow?  Maybe whoever helped them can help you as well.  I don’t think you will survive long enough to finish healing yourself,” Thor whispered, his eyes shifting from the fallen mischief maker to look out the open door frame.  So far, none of the warriors had followed; probably too stunned by his attack on his own father to retaliate.

Loki only let loose a flurry of thick coughs, blood spraying into the air from his mouth as he gave a weak nod.  “Just barely.  But we aren’t going anywhere until you make me a promise.  You promise me that you aren’t using me to get to my woman and unborn child,” he snarled, mistrust shining in his dilating eyes.  It wouldn’t be much longer before he passed out from blood loss but he would rather die than lead the hordes of Asgard to his beloved.

“Loki, we have no time...,” Thor tried, only to get a stone-faced expression in response.

“I am serious.  I will die before I open any portal until you promise me,” the fallen God insisted, the life slowly fading from his vibrant eyes.

Lissa could only stare at where the portal had been, an uneasy feeling filling her gullet.  The man she had previously known as Chris Hemsworth had looked scared but not for his sake.  Rissa and Tony unpacked, oblivious to her rising anxiety.  Only Jeremy hadn’t moved, watching her closely.  She was just about to open her mouth to suggest the voice actor open the portal again when it opened by itself, dumping a critically injured Loki onto the stone floor.  Blood spread from under his prone form as Thor quickly followed, Irons closing the portal as soon as they were through.  “Loki!” Lissa screamed, horror filling her voice as she spun to see where the bag of first aid supplies had been set.

Before she got too far, her former fiance was kneeling to place his hands on the fallen deity.  “Easy dear, I can help him along enough that he won’t be bleeding,” the thespian assured, reassurance in his voice and eyes as blue light glowed around his hands.

“What the fuck happened?  Why are you here?  You’re the one who brought the bastard here in the first place!” the frazzled, strained woman snarled, punching Thor in his face and only getting a sore fist for her trouble.

“I’m sorry.  I thought...  I should have listened to mother but what she told me...  I never thought father would try to kill Loki,” the deflated hero whispered, his normally tanned face an ashen grey from worry for his fallen brother.  This made Lissa back off slightly, a light hiss leaving her as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

“I guess he wasn’t kidding when he said you weren’t a genius.  To be honest, death would probably be preferable to what Odin has in store for him,” she sighed, turning her gaze back to her lover as her friend and practical grandfather came to stand by her side.

After endless moments, Jeremy had to pull back; his own face drawn and tired from the amount of power he had to expend.  “I’m much too old to be doing all of this anymore,” he sighed, running his shaking hands over his face.  The still unconscious Asgardian looked much better, all his wounds closed but still there to some extent.  The rest of the healing would have to be done by his body and he would more than likely have some scarring.  Still, he would survive.

“I’ll get the blood,” Thor murmured, watching as Anthony Hopkins picked up his brother like he weighed nothing.  Jeremy only nodded, getting to his feet to follow behind the older actor and Lissa as they went upstairs.

“Just don’t make any trouble,” hissed Irons, his brown eyes shining with warning before they disappeared upstairs.

Tony carried the frail looking trickster into an empty room, laying him gently on the bed before turning to look at his almost granddaughter.  She looked on the verge of having a severe freak out.  So, moving to take her into a hug, the elderly male placed a warm kiss on her cheek.  “He’ll be fine darling,” he assured before taking his leave, giving Jeremy a strange glance on his way out.  Said actor stayed where he was, placing a hand on Lissa’s shoulder.  Neither of them spoke as she turned and burrowed herself into his chest, sobbing loudly as she released all of the fear she currently felt.  All he could do was make soothing noises, petting her gently as they waited for Loki to awaken.


	19. So, What Now?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Hope you guys enjoy this one. A lot is gonna happen fairly quickly now.

Lissa lay on the floor in front of him, the life fading from her beautiful eyes as blood poured from the sword sticking out of her womb.  He could feel the coldness overtaking him as rage and pain roared through the sore where his heart used to be.  “Do you think I would allow you to bring an abomination into the world Laufeyson?  You are nothing but a monster and will only breed more of the same,” came a cold, cruel voice from behind him.  Whirling around, he saw Odin standing there with unending hatred in his one eye.  Letting out a war-cry that would have chilled even the most seasoned warrior’s blood, Loki was charging towards him; his hands glowing with power as he changed to his full Jötunn form.

Then he was tearing into the older deity, low snarls leaving him as blood and viscera flew into the air in wide arcs.  By the time he was finished, there wasn’t much left of the man that had taken him in as an infant.  Looking down to spit on the God that had tormented him so much in his long life, he saw the face of his beloved looking up at him instead.  Backing up, he began to sputter denials; looking down at the blood coating his pale hands.  Looking over at where her body had been, he saw a blood covered little girl that looked hauntingly like him.  Green-blue eyes glittered and him, black hair framing her bloody face.  “Daddy...,” she whispered, reality flickering and distorting nightmarishly as he slid to his knees.  A cold, familiar laugh came from the air itself as the room around him went black.

Shoot upward with a gasp, the Norse deity disguised as an actor panted heavily as his vision slowly cleared.  He was aware of a female voice soothing him as he tried to figure out where he was, let alone remember how he had gotten there.  A hand gently landed on his left upper arm and he turned his head to see Lissa sitting in a chair beside the bed he was in.  Blinking in confusion as his heart stuttered, everything faded away to the background as he reached forward with shaky fingers; stopping just inches from touching her cheek.  “I saw you die...  I saw our daughter...  I killed you both,” husked his weak, quiet voice as he waited for her to simply disappear.  Instead, she took his hand and forced him to touch her.

As soon as his hand made contact, a tension went out of his lithe body as he sagged in relief.  “Y-you’re real.  You’re okay,” he breathed before he descended into heartrending sobs.  His lover simply joined him on the bed, taking him into a hug and hushing him as he practically wrapped himself around her.  His tears soaked into her shirt as he kissed her cheek, neck and anywhere he could reach as he reassured himself he wasn’t hallucinating.

“It was just a dream Loki.  Everyone is safe.  Although you gave me quite a scare,” she replied, rubbing his back as he began to calm.

Blinking, memories of what happened came back in a rush and his hold on her tightened almost painfully.  “Odin tried to execute me not too long after you got away.  It was only Thor punching him in the face that saved my life, though I did sustain a nasty stomach wound,” he hissed, pulling away slightly to see a scabbed cut where a gaping wound had been.  Touching the area, he frowned slightly.  He should be dead, Lissa certainly didn’t know magic.  Then he was taking his first look around and noticed he was in a strange place.

“Who opened the portal and healed me?  It was the same person, I can tell by the signature of their magic.  It feels almost familiar,” he mused his hand glowing as he examined the residual energy.  It was like something he had felt long ago and had forgotten, almost like an old friend.

“Jeremy, he’s an Asgardian like you are but he means us no harm.  Tony and Rissa are here too,” replied the handler, placing her own hand on what was left of his injury.

“Jeremy?  He never seemed to be anything but a normal hu...,” he started, looking shocked at first; then he froze as recognition began to dawn on his handsome features like the sunrise.  Melissa could only watch, smiling slightly despite her own anxiety about his wellbeing.

“He... he was my magic teacher and then a very dear friend for many years before my true lineage was revealed,” he murmured, looking stunned.  The woman in front of him nodded before leaning into him and nestling into his muscled chest.

“Yeah, he explained all of this too me as well.  At least you’re alive.  I thought I was gonna lose you a few times there,” she murmured, her own voice clogged with tears as she began to shake.  She could still clearly remember the amount of blood he had lost as well as just how rattley his breathing he had been.  It had almost been as if she could feel his life slowly fading out of his body.

Even after Jeremy had healed him, she had several moments where she thought he was going to die if she left his side for any moment.  Even now when he was fully conscious, she didn’t fully believe he was going to be okay.  She honestly wasn’t looking forward to him having any other confrontations with his father or his army.  Yet she knew it would be inevitable.  Thanks to Thor’s well meaning idiocy, Odin now knew Loki was still alive and that he had a pregnant lover.  In fact, the patriarch’s behavior reminded her of a few tales from Greek and Roman myths.  He almost acted like he feared the child the trickster Prince would father.  A fact that honestly wouldn’t surprise me with the way most Gods seemed to work.

According to some of the myths she had read, it all started with the Titan Kronos and went on to even Jupiter (the Roman version of Zeus).  Kronos was had heard a prophecy that one of his children would destroy him and his people and forced his wife to give him all the children she gave birth to so he could devour them.   When she gave birth to Zeus, she gave him a rock wrapped in cloth instead and hid the newborn away.  As he grew, his mother told him about his father and what he had done.  Zeus ultimately ended up carrying out what Kronos feared most simply through the Titan’s own actions.  Not that Zeus or his Roman counterpart were saints by any stretch of the imagination.  In fact, they had very similar stories.  “What if Odin’s afraid of you, of the child you would spawn,” she whispered out loud, looking up to see her lover’s reaction.

Loki, who had been holding her and running a hand over her brown hair, blinked at the sudden revelation.  He opened his mouth to object but then he really stopped to think about it.  Odin had reacted much more violently to him taking a lover than anyone else, even other Jötunn.  Before he had escaped, Thor had insisted peace be made with the frost giants and Odin had even allowed some of them to move into Asgard.  From what Frigga had told him, there had been interspecies marriage and even some hybrid births and the elder male hadn’t had any reaction.  It had just been him.  In fact the patriarch was still reacting like that to the news of his new family, corroborating what Lissa had suggested.  “Why on Earth would he be so afraid of a child that he would do such horrible things, even try to kill me when I’m clearly no threat anymore,” he whispered, his brow furrowing as his former assistant looked up at him.

“Think about it Loki.  Our literature is full of ‘myths’ about the same thing.  I know you’ve read more than a few since you became Tom and probably even before then.  Just think about it for a moment,” she urged, her gaze travelling and lingering on the scabbed wound on his abdomen.  She only stopped looking at it when he yanked up her head to look him in the eyes.

His blue-green eyes fixed on her chocolate colored ones as a thumb traced her cheek.  “First of all, I’m safe and right here with you.  Secondly, I agree with your observations after some more thought.  Your assumptions are correct, I’m very aware of the Midgardian ‘myths’ about Gods.  That means we’re in a lot more trouble than we thought,” the God of Mischief whispered, his baritone slightly gruff as he kept a tight hold on her face.  Then he was releasing her to get out of bed, blinking when he found himself naked.  The expression on his face as he looked up at her made her burst out laughing, dissolving the leftover tension she felt at once.

The celebrity looked almost violated, knowing damn well she couldn’t have undressed him by herself with how much smaller she was.  That left Jeremy Irons or Anthony Hopkins and it seemed like the thought of either of them seeing him naked disturbed him greatly.  “It was only Jeremy.  He and I thought that you waking up to see Tony would cause a huge problem after your encounter with Odin.  As for why he took off your armor and clothes, they were coated in blood,” she declared, barely keeping back laughter.  It was then her puppy decided to appear on the bed by her, his little tail wagging a mile a minute as he looked at the pair.

“That was probably wise and I understand why you made him do that but that doesn’t mean I have to like the idea of my old mentor seeing my meat and two veg,” complained the Norse turned Englishman, faint amusement in his eyes despite his words.

“Pfffft,” Lissa let out before she started laughing loudly at his very British slang for his, well, dangly bits.  Soon he was joining in, the pair laughing away the past few hours of tension.  The puppy on the bed panted happily, watching them with a smile on his furry face.

When the hilarity finally faded, Loki simply made clothing appear on his lanky body.  His canine counterpart hopped to the floor in response, looking up at his master as he waited for her to join them.  “Come on darling, let’s let them all know I’m alive,” he declared, smiling down at the Corgi before holding his hand out to her.  Nodding, the assistant got to her feet before taking her former client’s hand and allowing him to lead the way.  Lo-lo bounded ahead of them, a goony smile on his muzzle as he made his way downstairs.  This seemed to prompt Jeremy and Rissa to run up the stairs, nearly slamming into them on their way down.

As the two separate pairs of people locked eyes, none of them seemed to know what to do.  “Are you okay To... I mean, Loki?” the graying actor asked, his dark eyes full of concern for the both of them.

“I’m feeling a lot better old friend,” husked out the taller man before he was sweeping his old teacher and current friend into a tight hug.  The other Asgardian froze for a moment before wrapping his own arms around the man he still saw as a son.

“Heh, does that mean you forgive me for almost marrying your mate?” he asked, humor tinging his deep voice.  Loki stiffened at first then chuckled as he pulled away from the older man, the green more dominant in his eyes as they glittered.

“Don’t push your luck old man,” warned the trickster, an arm winding unconsciously around his lover.  Melissa groaned slightly but smiled as she kissed his cheek.

“You don’t have to worry about me.  She’s absolutely smitten, anyone with eyes can see it.  Though you’ll have to learn to forgive the occasional flirt or snuggle.  You aren’t the only one who loves her,” Irons challenged, quirking an eyebrow before turning and leaving the pair.  Rissa, on the other hand, flung herself forward into her ‘sister’ before doing the same to Loki.

“I’m just so glad you’re okay Mr. Hi.... er, Loki.  You have no idea what Lissa was going through while you were out.  If you had died...,” the redhead whispered, turning her gaze to her childhood companion briefly.

“Rissa!” the brunette hissed, warning in her tone as her skin went cold with fear.  Her friend flinched but smiled in understanding before turning around and going back down the stairs with a small wave.  This left the pair in awkward silence, the God turned actor slowly swiveling to face her.

“What happened Lissey?” he whispered, a displeased expression passing over his face when she avoided his glance and began to rub her arms nervously.

When she began to inch down the stairs, he was grabbing her and pulling her back to him firmly by her waist.  His hands came up to grip her upper arms as his brow furrowed slightly, his ebony hair hanging in his face.  “Melissa...,” he husked out, his voice full of urgency as his eyes sought hers.  The caught woman only whimpered pitifully, avoiding his gaze as she shifted in place.

“Like I said, I thought I was losing you.  Despite Jeremy healing you, I had a bit of a breakdown seeing you so pale and vulnerable.  Him and Rissa had to restrain me to keep me from hurting myself,” she replied quietly, her voice low and shameful.  Loki’s hands tightened ever so slightly before his thumbs were rubbing her soft skin in sync.

“What did you do darling?  You don’t bear any marks on your arms and there’s no scent of blood around you,” whispered his baritone, oddly gentle while sounding slightly worried.  Closing her eyes, she continued to keep her head turned so she faced away from him as shame filled her.  How could she explain the amount of despair that she had felt when she was sure he was going to die despite all their efforts.

“I couldn’t be convinced you would be fine.  I became hysterical and began to pull my hair and subconsciously scratch my upper arms.  Jeremy ended up taking me into a bear hug while Marissa took on soothing duty,” she explained, the corners of her mouth turned down as she remembered the feelings and thoughts that flooded her head at that moment.  It had been the most distraught she had felt since the death of her father, something that had happened long after the last of her siblings had died.  She was the only one of her bloodline left.  Her and this small dot of a child she now carried.

A soft kiss was placed on her cheek before she was pulled into a protective, yet comforting hug.  “My darling, darling girl.  You need not do such things because of me,” he whispered, his normally composed voice shaky as well as slightly raspy.  Then one of his hands was gently forcing her to face him so he could give her lips an achingly loving kiss.

“Open your eyes and look at me pet,” demanded the deity, a shade of his former self in his voice.  Lissa found she had no choice but to obey, chocolate meeting ocean blue when she did so.

“I never want to hear of you trying to harm yourself again.  Though, I must confess I would have probably done the same.  That, or I would have started killing and not stopped until Odin or Thor put an end to me,” he murmured, green becoming dominant in his eyes for a second before he was continuing to lead them downstairs.

Thankfully for the weary couple, no commotion started when they reached the ground floor.  Tony, who had been pacing slightly, gave a big, relieved smile and swept Lissa into a hug.  Despite his close resemblance to Odin, Loki didn’t feel intimidated or afraid of the man.  Instead, he sensed the deep love the elderly man had for his beloved and simply accepted it.  The assistant was very easy to like and tended to make friends with the stars she worked with.  Even the foreign stars that came from America seemed to like her.  He could share her to at least that extent.

When Thor, who had been hiding in another, smaller room off to the side, came forward; Lissa stomped toward him and slapped him again.  Only succeeding in hurting her hand again, the casually dressed femme let out a string of swears as she cradled the appendage.  “Little sister, please.  If you break your hand Loki will make mincemeat of me,” the much larger blonde pleaded, obviously not seeing his brother yet.

“Well maybe you deserve it after nearly getting him killed!  Fuck’s sake, you call him your brother,” she snarled, rubbing her hand sadly.  This drew Loki forward and ultimately brought the God of Thunder’s attention to him as he took her hand and healed it.

“I know, I blame myself entirely for what occurred.  If it would make you feel better, I can always hit myself,” the man known as ‘Chris Hemsworth’ offered, lifting a closed fist to show he meant business.

While it was tempting, Lissa shook her head before heading into the living area proper.  The others followed closely, Loki sticking right by her side.  Then she was taking a seat on the large couch, sighing as her current lover and ex sat on either side of her.  Jeremy turned on the TV to see what was going on, only to be greeted with the glaring face of Odin as he stormed into a news station.  Turning it back off, the older male swore bitterly as he ran a hand over his face.  “What now?” Rissa whispered as Tony rubbed his own face.  Just seeing the God that bore his resemblance had shaken him more than anything else had so far.

“This is all real isn’t it?” the elderly actor whispered, looking a bit dazed as well as a touch nauseous.  Lissa was on her feet again in a second, wrapping him in a tight hug.

“I’m sorry Anthony.  I should have never dragged you into all of this but Rissa is right, what do we do now?  We don’t have a team of superheroes at our disposal now and even if the Avengers were around, I doubt they would help us anyway,” the brunette whispered, pulling away from him to look from Loki to Thor.  Neither seemed to have any answers for her, not helping her feel encouraged about their chances.

“You always have me dear,” came a kind, female voice, making everyone turn to see a very tall woman who had appeared seemingly out of nowhere.  She had a beautiful face that was both stern and kind at the same time.  Her curly, sandy blondy hair was swept into a bun-like up-do and she wore the gold armor of her people.  Before Lissa could ask who she was, both Thor and Loki were scrabbling to bow before her in supplication.

“Mother,” they whispered in unison, nearly making the handler’s heart stop dead in her chest.


	20. Strange Army

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Welp, time for Loki to make plans about what to do next. Should be interesting.

Lissa’s first instinct was to bow as well, Rissa and Anthony following suit.  Jeremy had bowed as soon as she appeared and was smiling slightly at how flustered the trio of humans were.  Shaking her head, the newcomer gave a kind smile before beckoning everyone to stand.  “There’s no need for such formalities, not when we’re very possibly finding a war on our hands.  Odin will not rest until he has imprisoned or killed Loki,” she sighed, her gentle eyes moving to Thor before a stern expression came over her face.  Flinching, the blonde looked rather sheepish as he came toward her with a bowed head.

To everyone’s shock except Loki’s, Frigga gave the taller male a hard bop on the head with the flat of her hand.  “I told you not to go to your father about your findings.  Did you truly not believe my words about what he would do?  Or were you hoping there had been some mistake?” sighed the matriarch, her gray-blue eyes shining with sadness.

“I just... I wanted to hear his side.  I couldn’t believe father would do such a horrible thing or would want to hunt Loki down for no reason.  Is it so wrong to want to have faith in my father?” he whispered in a tortured voice as his cerulean eyes shut and a tear slipped down his bearded cheek.

“Thor... there’s a difference between wanting to trust someone and just being foolhardy.  If you went to Odin before, what’s to stop you from going to him again and giving away our position,” the trickster pointed out from behind him, wrapping an arm around Melissa’s waist as he kept an eye on the pair in the middle of the room.

The fact that the Norse God of Thunder slumped didn’t help encourage their confidence in the well-meaning male and the room filled with an icy silence.  Suddenly the temperature took a severe nosedive, Loki’s pale skin going a light shade of blue as his form went from Asgardian to Jötunn in an instant.  Frigga only grimaced before stepping away from her elder son, moving to stand on the other side of Lissa.  Then the taller, enraged deity was storming forward, a snarl on his upper lip as he bore down on his brother like some demon from Hel.  With the swiftness of a striking cobra, the transformed male grabbed his sibling’s throat before lifting him off the ground as if he weighed nothing; his teeth bared.  “Thor Odinson, you tell me right now if you will betray me again!  If you would  _ dare _ to put my family in jeopardy because of your misguided attempts to redeem your father in your eyes!  Because, I swear on the life of my beloved and our unborn child that I will never forgive you if that has been your goal from the beginning!  I told you back in Melissa’s kitchen that I would rather die than bring you here unless you swore to me you wouldn’t try to betray me again once we got here.  Are you so dishonorable as to go back on your word to a man who was dying?” snarled the mischief maker, looking every bit the murderer he had been centuries before.

Swallowing, the older God made no attempt to pry his brother’s hand from his throat and simply stared into his eyes.  Choking slightly, his sky blue eyes shifted to the handler he had known so well in his time as Chris Hemsworth.  She looked utterly terrified as well as a bit angry.  Instantly, guilt filled him for causing such a big upheaval for the female as well as the man currently holding him in the air.  He was guilty of assuming Loki was planning another takeover, using the brunette to breed him an army of soldiers while he used the Midgardians that already worshipped him to do his bidding.  Now, now he could see the other man had just been trying to lead a peaceful life and he felt deep shame.  “I will not break my word.  I swear on Jane’s undying soul,” he rasped, his voice no more than a gurgle due to the pressure on his voicebox.

Snarling, the still transformed being tossed Thor aside before taking a deep breath to calm himself.  “If you are to join us, you will have to fight against Odin.  If you aren’t prepared for that, you need to leave,” Loki hissed, his skin gradually changing back as his temper cooled.  Jeremy, who had been watching the exchange silently, came to stand behind the former Prince to show his support; his dark eyes glimmering with warning.  A fact that seemed to confuse the crown Prince until he seemed to look from Loki to the man he knew as an actor only.

“I will fight for you brother but we have little hope of defeating the armies of Asgard,” sighed the weary man, running a large hand through his flaxen locks as recognition shone in his orbs.

“While we may not have the Avengers, I do have an army of my own.  I wonder if they would follow me if things came down to it.  I wonder if they would even believe what was going on,” murmured the Trickster Prince, his brow furrowed as he seemed thoughtful.  Lissa knew immediately what he was talking about and almost laughed out loud despite how dire the situation was.

Of all the people in the world, a group of rabid fangirls was their best shot.  It was almost enough to make someone cry if it weren’t so horribly hilarious.  “They’d have very little choice with Odin forcing his way onto the air.  There’s a chance they might think its some sort of promotion for the new movie.  At least until he actually starts sending out the armies of Asgard to find us.  I have to wonder just how far he’s willing to go,” Lissa pointed out, giving a nervous smile to the older female beside her.  She wasn’t too encouraged when Frigga only looked grim.

“You don’t want the answer to that.  He’s willing to kill as many as it takes to get to Loki or you.  If he ever finds out you’re pregnant...,” the taller warrior femme whispered, shuddering slightly.  The assistant only rubbed her arms as her heart sank.  Even with the huge amount of followers he had, they didn’t stand much of a chance.

Loki only gave a nod before walking over to stand on Melissa’s other side, his arm wrapping loosely around her waist to keep her close.  “Yes, I don’t think he knows you’re pregnant.  Otherwise he’d have likely gone after you based on the hypothesis you told me.  Whatever we decide to do, we have to do it quickly,” the trickster sighed, frowning slightly before he froze and his face lit up.

“If Odin can use the news to hunt for me, why not use my magic to do the same on a wider scale.  My magic may still be a bit weak but I should be able to create a connection long enough to...,” he pondered to himself, pacing slightly before he moved to the middle of the room once again.

Bracing his feet and taking in a deep breath, Loki closed his blue-green eyes as he held out his right hand.  Green magic flowed from his palm to surround his hand and upper arm, his pale brow furrowed in concentration as a large portal formed in front of him.  Yet it didn’t seem like the type of portal they could go through, more like a flat screen TV that allowed them to see the world through it.  The screen grew to take up much of the room, a blinding white at first.  Then several squares flickered to life on the strange window, each showing the bewildered face of either individuals or groups of people.  Opening his eyes, he gave the huge, shimmering projections an apologetic smile.  “Hello there, I don’t mean to cause alarm or panic as I have no idea how many have seen the news yet but I have to try to get through to you.  A lot of you may not know me.  A lot of you may know me as Tom Hiddleston, the actor who played Loki.  If the news broadcast is still going and you have seen it, you more than likely have seen Odin announcing his intent to hunt me down,” he announced to the billions of people.

“Those of you who have seen this may think it was a publicity stunt for my new movie.  Unfortunately that’s far from the truth.  As you can see by the floating portal in front of you, I am really Loki Laufeyson,” he continued, wincing at the billions of quiet gasps at his confession.

“If you want more information about what is going on, I would gladly set up a meeting place to explain any questions.  As things are, we are looking at a full scale war just to capture me and those I care for.  If anyone should wish to hear more, place your hands on your screen and you will be teleported somewhere that’s safe to meet.  I really wish to try to avoid any deaths before people believe me and I hope to see you all soon,” he finished, dispelling the screen with a wave of his hand.

Then he was bending forward to grasp his upper thighs as he fought to catch his breath.  Both Frigga and Lissa ran to him in unison, Jeremy getting there first due to staying near Thor.  Rissa and Anthony watched helplessly from their positions, not wanting to crowd the man when they would be of little help in the first place.  “I’ll be fine in a few minutes.  Come, we must travel to the small dimension I made to meet with these people.  It was just something I had thrown together but it’ll do for our purposes.  I just hope people showed up.  I would have to do this again after Odin starts killing off innocents,” rasped the exhausted deity, his ebony hair hanging slightly in his sweaty face as he leaned heavily on Jeremy.

“Allow me to form this portal.  I can trace your magic since I taught you how to wield it,” the older Asgardian murmured, raising his hand as the others prepared to enter to portal.  On the other side of the shimmering oval, there looked to be a blank room.  Almost something a game programmer would use as a placeholder while building an environment.  Inside was a shocking amount of people.  Not nearly the billions that comprised the human population but certainly a fair amount.

Nodding wearily, Loki allowed his former teacher and current friend to lead him through.  Next came Thor, Frigga escorting Lissa through as Anthony and Marissa followed.  The older actor still looked shell shocked while the redhead beside him almost looked excited, her aqua eyes fairly glimmering as she bounced on the balls of her feet.  The crowd that waited for them went silent, staring at the newcomers that had come through the opening.  When they saw just how exhausted the God of Mischief seemed, a murmur of disquiet went through the room.  Then the attention shifted to Frigga and that murmur became downright shock.  It was then the man the crowd knew as Chris Hemsworth stepped forward to hold up his hands for attention.  “Peace, please.  We mean no harm here.  We just want to talk to you, tell you what’s going on,” he called, his voice artificially amplified by a quick spell from Jeremy.

Suddenly, there was a huge commotion in several parts of the crowd; people jostling out of the way as some people in particular seemed to be heading to the front.  Amused, Lissa watched as a huge group of women  and some men in a wide age range gathered to stare up at Loki.  Even without the shirts, the twenty-eight year old knew she was looking at group that labeled themselves as his army.  All of them wore expressions of awe as well as faint disbelief and the tired God gave a nod before pulling himself away from his former mentor.  Placing a hand on his throat briefly, the man who was known as Tom Hiddleston began to speak.  “I imagine a lot of you have a lot of questions.  Some of you may even still have doubts this is happening even now.  Thor, summon Mjölnir,” he commanded, gesturing to the slightly shorter man by his side.

The bearded, armored male winced for a second before nodding and gesturing the crowd to step back.  As soon as everyone was a safe distance away, the former Avenger held up his right hand as if he was holding an invisible hilt and braced himself.  In seconds, lightning descended from the ceiling as thunder clapped loudly; one of the arcs of electricity touching his raised fist.  In that instant, a heavy looking, short handled sledgehammer materialized.  Bringing down the slightly smoking weapon, Thor’s bearded face broke into a nostalgic grin.  “Hello old friend.  It appears there may yet be a use for you,” he whispered, placing it in a holder on his belt.

The gathered people gasped as one, the large group in the front looking awed as well as slightly fearful.  “I’m sure there’s a lot that needs to be explained.  Why we were disguised as actors, how much of the movies are real, just how is all of this possible.  With the help of my friends, family and fiance, I can explain all of it,” he stated, gesturing to Jeremy as well as the people behind him.  One of them being a thoroughly stunned Melissa.  In fact, her jaw was hanging open as she tried to reconcile what he had announced.  Lovers sure, boyfriend and girlfriend okay but outright declaring she was his fiance when he hadn’t even asked her to marry him.  Something inside of her ached at the fact that he hadn’t asked but circumstance were beyond anything what any of them had expected to happen.

Stepping forward when he held out his hand to her, she took in his apologetic expression as he kissed top of her hand.  Giving him a smile to show she understood, she stood by his side and kissed his cheek affectionately as he wrapped a protective arm around her waist.  This, of course, made the females in the front group go stiff as they began to give off an aura of jealousy.  Some of them even began to grumble slightly, earning a low growl from the powerful being.  “Foolish Midgardians!  Are you so stupid as to think you can command who I fall in love with?!  Who I choose to start a family with!  If you will stand against me simply because of the fact I didn’t choose you then you are not welcome.  I belong to no one but myself!” he hissed, his words echoing in the empty room.

The jealousy was rapidly replaced with a sense of shame and faint fear, Loki continuing to glower at the front group before focusing his gaze on all the people taking up the seemingly endless room.  “As for all of you, this is a fairly long story so I suggest you listen well,” he announced before launching into the long tale of how the movies he had been Loki in were part of their ancient history.  By the time he was finished speaking, hours had passed and his voice was getting hoarse.  That was when Lissa took over, going over what he had told her about how he had ended up as Thomas Hiddleston and how they had met.  She finished with how she had found out his secret as well as Chris finding out and showing himself as really being Thor.

When the entire tale was finished, the crowd stared at him as they absorbed the information.  “If there are any questions, me and my son Thor will be happy to help you.  Right now, Loki needs to recuperate.  Communicating with you as well as creating this room has worn him out,” Frigga announced as Jeremy formed a portal to transport Loki back so he could rest.  Unwilling to be parted from Lissa, the deity kept her close to him as he made his way to the shimmering hole.

“Stay with them Jeremy.  They’ll need you to teleport back when finished.  Mari, Sir Hopkins, you should stay as well to help with plans.  I want Lissey with me,” the worn, swaying male delegated before pulling his lover through with him; looking grateful to be back in the repurposed castle Irons owned.

Running a hand over his draw features, the overtired male began to head toward the kitchen; tugging his former handler behind him.  “I need a nap but first I need to eat,” he explained, nearly tripping over his own feet.

“Sit Loki, you’re dead on your feet.  I’ll make you a quick, hot meal of soup but I want you to stay right where you are,” Melissa ordered, her assistant instincts kicking in as she flew to the cupboard.  Within moments, the brunette had a hearty potato soup and a grilled cheese cooking.  Next she was grabbing him a glass of cold water, handing him the chilled cylinder and sitting beside him as he downed it gratefully.

“Thank you luv.  Stay by me while the food cooks would you?  I feel a bit antsy at the moment.  I’m unsure which side Heimdall is on or if he is merely serving as a gateway.  If he is simply opening the paths with no leaning one way or the other, there is every possibility we’ll be okay until Odin figures out our position.  The fact that he allowed mother to come here is a good indication he’s taking the path of neutrality.  Still, I will not rest until I know for sure.  With his vision, it would only be a matter of time until he led Odin here,” the former thespian sighed, wrapping an arm loosely around her waist as he pulled her into his lap.

Instead of being an amorous action, it was one of protection as well as reassurance for both parties that the other was alright.  A nose burrowed itself in her silky locks as a sigh breathed out of a muscled chest.  “I will not lose another family.  Until this is all over, I want you near me at all times.  Despite his oath, I don’t entirely trust Thor not to let go of transgressions long in the past,” he declared just as the timer went off to signal his food was finished cooking.  Reluctantly, the Norse God released her to get his food; taking the plates from her before she could set them down.

Noticing the tense set of his broad shoulders, Lissa pulled her chair up close to his so she was leaning right against him.  It was only then that he relaxed and began to eat, the food disappearing within a matter of moments.  “Are you still hungry?  I could make more...,” the handler began, her hard-coded assistant instincts telling her to make sure he was taken care of.  She even moved to get up before he was snagging her waist and pulling her back onto his lap.  His hot breath on the nape of her neck as well as the hardness below her told her he was hungry for something and it had nothing to do with food.

Next thing she knew, they were in their room; both of them naked as he covered her body with his.  “Loki, you should...,” she began before his lips met hers in a manner that almost seemed starved.

“I need you Lis...  I’ve need you since this morning.  I almost died and could still lose you.  I need... I need to be sure you’re really here with me,” rasped the distraught male above her as his mouth took her right breast and began to suck.  Any further protest died on her lips as a pleasured moan left her, her back arching as her hands came up to rest on his upper back.

“Say yes for me luv.  Tell me this is okay with you,” he whispered urgently, his hands coming to rest on her hips as he let go of her breast to look into her eyes.

Reaching for him, Melissa pulled him into a heated kiss; her tongue dominating his mouth as she reached between their bodies to grasp his erection.  This made Loki unleash an animalistic snarl as he shuddered violently.  Still, he managed to hang onto his control with the barest of threads; his jade green eyes begging her to give him permission.  To say the one word he needed to hear.  To say the rush of power this gave her didn’t go to her head would be lying and the normally shy woman smiled slightly as she began to move her hand slowly along his obviously aching length.

Breathing stuttered as a low whimper left the shuddering deity who still held himself above her.  “Lissey, please.  Darling please, n-not like...,” he gasped, his hips jerking as his jaw tensed from the effort of keeping himself from cumming simply from her movements.  Kissing under his chin, she removed her hand and licked her palm as he watched; the way his chest hitched stoking the fire inside her.

“Yes Loki, I want you to fuck me.  I want you to fuck me hard and fast,” she whispered, her heart jumping slightly when he immediately rolled her onto her stomach.

Eager hands lifted her so she was on all fours, one of them leaving her hip to press on her upper back so she was angled toward the mattress.  “Spread,” came a raspy demand, sounding so much like the God she had seen in the movies.  Complying with a soft moan, she gripped the sheets as she felt him rub himself along her sensitive slit.  She could feel his hooded head delving inside her briefly, just enough to drive her crazy before pulling out to rub himself along her.

“Beg for me,” came his guttural baritone by her ear just before he gave the scruff of her neck a hard bite.

“Please sir, please.  Allow me to worship you with my body,” she sighed, words from one of her more erotic fantasies spilling from her lips.  Before she had found out the truth about ‘Tom’ as well as her world, she had often had dreams of the ever angry Loki taking her like this; demanding she give him proper tribute.  While frightening, it had often had her waking up with her panties soaked through.

Letting out a hiss, he grabbed her hips in both hands as he slowly slid home; every ridge and vein rubbing against her quivering walls.  Groaning in unison, the pair stilled, Loki panting raggedly as he moved his hands to brace on the mattress.  It was like the calm before the storm and Lissa felt her blood sing with anticipation.  The man pressing against her back placed a kiss between her shoulder blades before he was moving in quick, hard thrusts, the tip of him hitting her cervix every surge forward.  All at once, she found herself back in the cabin when he was in heat; only much more urgent and precise.

The sound of his hips hitting hers punctuated their moans, his lean body beginning to shudder as he grew close to his edge.  A hand moved between her legs to fondle her throbbing clit and she let out an almost distressed keen as she rubbed her cheek along the sheet under her.  “Come on baby.  I know you want to.  Cum for your God and show him just how much pleasure he brings you,” came an arrogant coo, slight strain to his tone as his thrusts began to become erratic.  His words were like a fuse being lit and she was exploding with a wail of his name as she felt him spill hotly within her.  She was vaguely aware of him pulling out to bundle her into his arms, his lips travelling her face as she slipped into a peaceful slumber.


	21. Upheaval

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wheeee plots. This fic is gonna be a bit of a challenge to write. Not used to writing fight scenes. We’ll see how this goes together~

    The morning was quiet and far too still.  Just the fact that their small army was taking so well to being trained should have been a huge red flag that something was about to go terribly wrong.  Let alone how little tension there was in the air despite the very good possibility of a war coming.  A war that none of them had any true hope of winning if they pulled back and really looked at the situation.  They were asking several million humans to go against an army of Gods.  The only thing they could hope for was that some of the Asgardians would turn on Odin out of simple disgust.  Looking back on things, Lissa could only curse herself for not sensing something was coming.

    She had been watching Loki train his army of fans with a mixture of bemusement and sadness.  With the way they either tripped over themselves or dropped their weapons, things didn’t look good.  Yet they were willing to learn and had even seemed to get over their jealousy for the most part.  As for the others, Thor and Jeremy were taking care of them; each group testing who was good with what discipline or weapon.  Some of them had already shown a slight proficiency for magic, a pleasant surprise for everyone involved.  Maybe, with some work, they might be able to use simple spells to defend themselves or heal others.

    Taking up her own weapon, the brunette began to practice her footwork and well as her follow through.  As much as her lover protested, she knew she needed to be prepared to protect herself as well as those she cared about.  She had also learned she was fairly adept at swords and she had picked up the basics fairly easily.  She had been in the middle of performing a very complicated maneuver when it happened.  People were laughing, practicing and even getting to know people from other countries they would have otherwise never met.  Then there was a burst of almost blinding light as Heimdall appeared in front of them.

    Towering over them easily and made all the more intimidating by the golden armor he wore, the gatekeeper of Asgard looked over the crowd of Midgardians before focusing his golden gaze on Frigga.  In a couple long strides, the bronze skinned male closed the amount of distance between him and the matriarch.  Loki, of course, was hot on his heels; Jeremy not too far behind.  Dread filling her, Lissa dropped her weapon to follow as well; a bit surprised when the group of fans he had been training trailed after them too.  Some of them had even kept hold of their arms, looks of frightened determination on many of their faces.  Just seeing that made her feel both proud and a bit sad at the same time.

    While it showed they were taking things seriously, it also showed they were beginning to become willing to lay down their very lives.  A fact that honestly didn’t sit well with her.  Some of these people were younger than _she_ was and certainly didn’t deserve to be involved in something like this.  They deserved to be writing fanfics, watching movies, mooning over guys they found cute.  Being involved in something like this would no doubt scar a lot of them beyond repair.  They would see new or old friends die or possibly get injured.  It would be a miracle if this whole mess ended with no blood on their hands.

    Frigga, who had been instructing a few of the newfound healers, seemed to sense what was happening and spun on her heel to face them.  Heimdall went into an instant bow, the horned helm he wore disappearing as he placed a fist over his heart to show his loyalty.  “Forgive me highness, I could only distract him for so long.  He has found you.  You must run,” he breathed, disappearing as soon as the message was delivered.  Everyone seemed to freeze, fear beginning to creep over the gathered crowd.

    “Do not panic!  I have a place we can escape to if need be.  I’ll form a portal,” Jeremy announced, using his magic to amplify his voice.

    Next thing she knew, Melissa was being yanked along by Loki; a grim expression on his face as he held out his hand to add his power to his former teacher’s.  Within seconds, a massive hole in reality appeared; seeming to lead to a huge, open field.  “Everyone through!” the trickster holding her snarled, going through first and depositing her on the other side.  Then he was taking her upper arms in a tight grip, placing a kiss on her forehead as the bewildered woman tried to get a grip on just what was happening.

    “Stay here.  I must make sure the others make it through safely,” he insisted, releasing her to turn around and walk through the flood of people that was now coming through.

    Shaking herself, the brunette moved to go back with him when she felt two pairs of hands grabbing her.  Turning her head, the former assistant saw both Marissa and Anthony Hopkins holding her back.  “I don’t blame you for wanting to go but...,” her childhood shadow began, concern and determination in her aqua colored eyes.

    “You’re very early into pregnancy.  If you strain yourself, you might bring on a miscarriage.  On top of that, Tom... I mean, Loki can take of himself.  He has magic on his side while you do not,” the older actor on the redhead’s right reasoned, his azure eyes full of his own worry.

    Licking her lips, Lissa gave small nod before allowing the pair to lead her into a more safe area of the huge clearing they had appeared in.  It was far away from where the people were pouring in, a stream that seemed endless when she was waiting for her lover as well as his mother, brother and her ex-fiance.  Frigga was the one who came first, standing near the portal as the flood started to gradually taper off.  Then it was Jeremy, the worried looking celebrity heading right toward them as soon as he saw them.  Before he said anything, the former handler knew something was desperately wrong.  Where were Thor and Loki?  Had the so called hero betrayed his brother yet again?

    The next thing she knew, her former fiance had her in a tight grip; his accented baritone rumbling gently in her ear as she continued to try to get to the portal.  She had no clear memory of moving but that really didn’t matter.  All that mattered was the ache in her chest as absolute panic began to fill her.  None of this was helped by the fact that the pair still didn’t appear even when the last of the newbie warriors made it in.  Frigga also looked nervous until Loki was falling through the portal.  The way he came in made it look like he had been shoved hard and he shot to his feet and whirled around to go back through, absolute terror in his eyes.  Seeing what was about to happen, Irons dispelled the portal with a decisive movement.

    Confused but relieved to see the man she had taken care of for a lot of his film career, Lissa relaxed slightly as she watched her now pissed companion come towards them with his mother close on his heels.  “Open it!” the Prince demanded, sounding every bit the deity he was under the actor disguise.

    “From the way you’re acting, I think I’d better keep it closed until you tell me just what’s going on,” Jeremy replied, looking cool as a cucumber in the face of Loki’s fury.  He didn’t even flinch when the man who used to be his student got right up in his face and let out a low snarl.

    “Thor is in trouble you idiot!  Odin showed up just as we got the last of them through.  He... he distracted the old man by pretending to be on his side.  Pretending he was trying to lower my guard enough so his father could find me.  I... fell for it as well and nearly attacked him before he shoved me through,” the God of Mischief whispered, his anger fading for guilt and deep worry.

    “Then he wouldn’t want you to go back or risk Odin coming here.  This place is the only place on Midgard that Heimdall cannot see and I would rather keep it that way for the time being,” the older man replied, sounding amazingly neutral given the amount of worry in his brown eyes.

    Loki could only open and close his mouth, resembling a fish out of water a bit.  Then he was simply pursing his lips as he closed his green eyes and took a deep breath, running a hand through his dark hair.  Seeing his distress, both Frigga and Lissa walked toward him in unison; stopping when they were just a few feet from him.  “Thor can take care of himself.  On top of that, Odin has always favored him.  I have severe doubts any harm will come to him with him being the Crown Prince,” the older Goddess assured as the shorter woman beside her nodded.

    “You didn’t see what I did, neither of you did.  The man has gone utterly insane with fear.  He looked about ready to attack Thor himself before the portal closed,” replied the stressed deity, looking ready to either cry or throw something.  Tears glittered in his still green eyes as his leather covered chest heaved with emotion.

    Flinching, the curly haired matriarch’s eyes travelled to where the passage had been before looking back at the man she considered her son.  Pursing her lips, she closed the distance to pull the taller male into a comforting hug.  Making soothing noises, she made a subtle motion to Lissa to join her; something the assistant did hesitantly.  Not only was she not sure he wanted her comfort at the moment, it was just plain awkward to show affection to him in front of his mom.  Loki, on the other hand, didn’t share her hesitations and pulled her into a tight hug.  Burrowing his nose into her hair, he began to whisper her name over and over as he rocked them both back and forth gently.  “He’ll be fine Loki,” Lissa whispered, only now noticing that her puppy was nowhere to be seen.

    Pulling away as fear dropped into her stomach, she looked everywhere for the familiar flash of orange and white.  When she saw nothing, her worry only deepened.  “Lissey?” came a concerned question as she began to move into the clearing they had appeared in.

    “Lo Lo, here boy!” she called, cupping her hands around her mouth to amplify her voice.  Fear and hope fought for top position as her call went unanswered.

    _‘Maybe he can’t hear me over all the people talking,’_ she reasoned to herself, despite knowing better deep down.

    Ever since he had been revealed to be a part of Loki, the canine had shown just how attuned to her emotions he was.  If she was the least bit upset, he would appear out of nowhere to bundle into her lap and make an utter goof of himself until she giggled.  The fact that he wasn’t appearing in front of her when she was so worried for him was extremely unusual.  In fact, her heart was lurching as panic slowly began to creep over her senses.  Before she could descend into full-on terror and start screaming hysterically for her dog, she felt a pair of hands on her shoulders.  Whirling around, she saw her former client giving her a concerned look.  “He didn’t come through with you?” asked the man formerly known as Thomas Hiddleston.

    “No..,” she whispered, the tears coming as her heart clamped in her chest.  That puppy was more than just a pet to her.  He was her best friend, companion and furry son.  The tiny Corgi had often curled up with her on  a stormy night to keep her company or when she was sick to make sure she was safe.  If anything happened to him, she would never forgive herself.

    As if sensing her distress, Loki pulled her into a loose hug as Tony, Jeremy and Rissa came up to see what was wrong.  “He’ll be fine my darling.  He’s a part of me after all and is more than capable of taking care of himself.  Besides, I doubt even Odin is so monstrous as to harm a baby animal,” he reasoned in a gentle tone, looking up to gesture to the trio to hurry.  Despite his words, he had his doubts about what the patriarch would do once he found out just what the puppy was.  The God was deeply afraid of what children the trickster would have with any person; so terrified, in fact, that he more than likely wasn’t even close to thinking rationally.  Anything that came from the mischief maker or had any connection to him would more than likely be obliterated with prejudice.

    Lissa was also aware of this fact under her fear and sorrow and she was grateful when several arms enveloped her into a warm hug.  All she could hope was that Thor would watch out for the pup.  If he hadn’t appeared by now, that meant that he couldn’t and he was trapped on the other side.  Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath she took a look at the huge crowd of confused people.  None of them had been taking this seriously until this had happened and now they were unsure of what to do.  Were they really willing to fight a battle none of them stood a true chance of winning?  The only ones who looked shaken but still determined was the group that had declared themselves Loki’s army.  With their help, she might be able to calm the rest down.

    Thor rubbed his jaw where his father had punched him, just grateful his brother had gotten away safely.  Unfortunately, not all of him had made it through, leaving the God of Thunder with a rather strange companion.  The pup had come running soon after he had pushed Loki through and had been generally cooed over by Sif.  None of them had any clue of what the canine was and he hoped to keep it that way.  Even the grizzled Odin was besotted with the pet, scratching behind one of his bat-like ears while the dog watched what the army was doing with sharp eyes.  While doggy Loki didn’t like being separated from his owner, he seemed to be making the best out of his situation.

    Sighing, the Prince wandered around those he had once called friends; wondering if they knew the atrocities they were going to commit.  Did they know they would be slaughtering millions if not billions of innocent, powerless people.  People who had no true hope of standing any chance against them.  Did they know that Loki had long since moved on to wanting what every man ultimately does, a loving wife and children?  Did they know that the man they considered a beast would give his life for his Midgardian lover with no hesitation?  If they did know all of theses things, would that stop any of the horrors about to come?  Being around these people for several centuries, Thor would like to think that answer would be an emphatic ‘yes’.  Yet, he found himself feeling unsure.  Sitting beside Volstagg, he cradled his head as he hoped and prayed things wouldn’t turn into an utter bloodbath.

    After hours of wrangling, they had the crowd in one place and paying attention.  It had been a stressful day for all of them and Jeremy just wanted to get them moving to their destination.  After few encouraging words, Loki and the voice actor got them moving down a well maintained path.  The further it went, the more things looked old, almost enchanted in a way.  It was almost like they had stepped into a time bubble.  Even the air around them was surprisingly pure and sweet, giving the nervous people a sense of well-being.  “What is this place?” Rissa whispered, her aqua eyes wide with awe as she took in the foliage around her.  Like the air, the forest had been untouched and gave off a feeling of true isolation.

    “A place I protected long ago from outsiders.  A place I had set aside in case I had need to evacuate a lot of people.  I made sure to keep everything updated and in good condition but a few might need to share houses until we build more,” he explained as they broke from the forest to see a small village.  There were a few thousand houses but nowhere near enough for the millions behind them.  He hadn’t been kidding when he said people would have to share.

    Thankfully there seemed to be power as well as some form of indoor plumbing.  Also, most of the houses were of a decent size.  Although it would be a tight squeeze, there should be enough dwellings so everyone had a roof over their heads.  Already people were talking about where to build the next houses.  Thankfully there were quite a few construction people as well as electric and plumbing.  There were also doctors, surgeons, nurses.  There were people from all walks of life and all levels of professionalism.  Just hearing thin threads of excitement made lissa feel just a bit better about their current situation.  Still, she had to wonder just how long they could keep a place like this hidden with as many people as they had.  There was also the problem of staying in the loop with the news.  While there was electricity there was no connections to TV stations, internet or phone.  For the moment, it would be best if it stayed that way.

    Watching as the mob disseminated into the village to pick out initial housing, the handler leaned into Loki as Jeremy and Frigga came to stand by her.  Anthony and Marissa were also there, on the fringes due to the spots by her being taken up.  Yet, all she could think of was her puppy and if he was okay.  The fate of the world might rest on their shoulders and all she could think of was one little dog that honestly wouldn’t matter in the grand scheme of things.  She should feel guilty and she felt disgusted with herself that she really didn’t.

    A pair of warm hands on her shoulders brought her attention back to the God behind her and she relaxed into him for comfort.  “He’ll find his way back to you, I promise,” whispered a comforting baritone in her ear, as if he could sense exactly what she was thinking.  Giving a small nod, she walked with her group; Jeremy leading the way to a large mansion that seemed to be in the center of the village.  As she walked, she placed an unconscious hand on her flat tummy; just above where her unborn child rested.  She had a lot more to worry about now than just her puppy and that made her anxiety zing to new heights.  Where she had originally been worried about possibly giving birth to a Jötunn child in a hospital, she now had to worry about possibly giving birth in the midst of a war.  Her only solace was that Loki would move heaven and Earth to keep her and their child safe.


	22. Scattered

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Welp, things get interesting.

What a difference a matter of months could make.  The world had changed irreparably for both their realm the world outside.  Odin had finished issuing threats within the first week and had officially sent out his army to begin searching for Loki.  Included in these searches were Thor and her little pup, both angering them and making them feel relieved at the same time.  The trickster was almost certain his brother had never been on his side to begin with while Lissa and Frigga weren’t so sure.  Even Rissa, who hadn’t been around the God of Thunder for very long, thought that wasn’t the case.  The redhead had even stood up for the musclebound oaf, surprising a fuming Loki into silence.

Melissa couldn’t help but agree, pointing out the fact that the Crown Prince had shoved his ‘brother’ through the portal.  If he had been intending to lead Odin to them from the beginning, it would have been a perfect opportunity to do so.  Instead, Thor had ensured Loki’s safety and was, in turn, risking his own by remaining with his father.  At least with him there, her precious puppy would be well cared for.  Then again, the few times she had seen the Corgi on the news had clearly shown the little canine could care for himself just fine.  With the way it looked, he had turned into a strange little mascot for the other side; something everyone found more than just a little ironic.

A few weeks in and the former assistant had stopped focusing on the pet she considered her child.  The searches had gone from being peaceful, yet firm to outright raids.  It wouldn’t take long for violence to come next, prompting Jeremy and Loki to begin sending out brief signals to those still outside their protected village.  It was always miles away from their growing hamlet and they sometimes brought a large amount of people back with them.  The newcomers were then screened by the group of fans who had quickly become the trickster’s real army.  They were his most trusted warriors, staying in the mansion Lissa in her group had initially chosen to live in.  As such, they took the task of ensuring the group’s safety very seriously.

It didn’t take long for people to start showing up that simply wanted to turn the former actor in for some peace.  A lot of them made the point that all Odin wanted was the God of Lies so why shouldn’t they just give him up so the rest of humanity could return to their normal lives.  The most terrible thing was, Melissa could see where they were coming from.  To them, he was no more than someone who stood in the way of billions of people leading normal lives.  Why shouldn’t he give up his freedom, sanity and very life for them?  As the people were lead out and transported back to where they had come from with altered memories, the former professional couldn’t help but dwell on what some of them said.  Was putting the lives of an entire species on the line worth it for one individual?  Would Odin truly be satisfied with the capture of a being he once called son?  Could the powerful being go the rest of eternity without finding out about Loki’s hybrid offspring?  Somehow, she very much doubted it.

Not only would their child know that their father was absent, she would make darn sure to tell them exactly why.  Through capturing Loki, he would bring about the future he was trying so hard to circumvent.  Just like Zeus and Cronus both had done.  There was also the fact that she intended to tell the child exactly what kind of man Odin is and just what he had done to capture her beloved.  Of course, the fact that she was pregnant made her even more of a target than even the former thespian.  She could be used as bait, let alone the fact the child she carried would instantly become the target of Asgard itself.  Needless to say, she decided to to make an announcement about her condition.

As the months wore on and the attacks got more violent, it became harder to keep her condition a secret.  Around the third month of living in their village, she had begun wearing baggier clothing and had even gone so far as to ask her former client the put a glamour on her growing womb to hide her situation.  An idea that was immediately hot down with prejudice by her lover.  As he had said many times, he was done hiding and that included her.  He also brought up the very good point that she was in no danger.  If Loki wasn’t her constant shadow, Jeremy, Tony and Rissa certainly were.  She was never alone, especially as the attacks on the outside began to intensify.

Around the fifth month, it was becoming too risky to perform reconnaissance for refugees.  Not only did they have a few billion people building and living there now; the more they sent out messages, the more likely Oin was to use Heimdall to track them all down.  None of them were really ready for a fight of this caliber and Loki was extremely reluctant to pull the trigger and send these people into war.  There were only a few million left of the several billion population and those people were now caught in a living Hell of Asgardian design.  Regular raids were carried out on Midgardian homes.  Families were torn apart, children killed in front of parents or vice versa.  The straw that finally broke the camel’s back came on a bright, summer day.

A frustrated sigh permeated the room as a heavily muscled figure sat up in the darkness.  A whimper accompanied the noise and a weary chuckle came as the sound of skin ruffling fur broke the stillness.  “I know boy.  I know...  If I didn’t believe my father mad and all of Asgard to be blind before, I certainly do now. The things I have seen my brothers do...  Even Sif...,” whispered a sick sounding baritone as a light flickered on beside a bed.  A Corgi pup simply stared at him, very close to not being a puppy any longer.  The green eyes of the canine were full of sympathy and just a hint of judgement.

“Hush, I would only engender suspicion if I didn’t at least pretend to join in.  I want to go back as much as you do but...  All we would do is lead the armies of Asgard right onto them.  As skilled as my brother is, I doubt he’s had enough time to prepare those Midgardians of his,” sighed the former actor, looking deeply troubled as he got out of bed to put on his underclothes and golden armor.  When he had gone to his father with information about Loki, He had never expected things to turn out like this.

Screams from the other night still rang in his ears and his mouth turned down at the corners as he left his stolen room.  Moving through the slightly charred, trashed house they had raided and settled in, the God found himself bitterly wishing this was all just another movie he was acting in.  The broken, burned corpses of the family who lived here still lay where they died; one of the daughter’s dead eyes staring up at the ceiling with her mouth frozen open in a silent scream.  Blackened, cracked flesh took over more than half her face as well as her arms and Thor found himself kneeling to reach a hand toward her singed hair.  “Forgive me little one.  How I wish none of this had ever happened,” he whispered, his heart aching as he trailed his hand down from her hair to gently close her eyes with trembling fingertips.

“None of us really want this Thor,” whispered a feminine voice from a doorway to his right, making the former actor whirl to face a guilt ridden Sif.  Her normally battle hardened, hazel eyes were full of a sad fear.

Pursing his bearded lips, the Norse deity shook his head slightly before continuing to walk.  “None of us have a choice.  We may outnumber him but it would be outright treason.  None of us are child killers,” she continued, her voice following behind him as he moved toward the stairs that would lead to the ground level.

“At what point does the act of treason become less evil than what we’re doing now?  Do we protest at the pillaging of the innocent, the killing of families?  How much further must this go on before we put a stop to his madness?  How many more must suffer for my folly?” hissed the Prince, regretting who he was and where he had come from for the first time in his long existence.

He had seen his share of brutalities during his time with S.H.I.E.L.D., had even committed his share of war crimes.  None of that compared to this.  What he saw before him rivaled the devastation wrought by Thanos and he felt sickened that his own father was committing it.  Even Loki at his worst would have at least made sure his enemies died painlessly and that their bodies would be buried.  Odin seemed to be going out of his way to disrespect the dead.  There was also the fact that there were now rumors flying around about allowances being made for Asgardian soldiers to rape female prisoners.  Something he hoped was untrue.  If such a horrible thing was going on, he could no longer even pretend to be on his father’s side.

Finally reaching the landing, the blonde turned his head to look at the woman who had followed.  To her credit, she looked just as disgusted as he felt.  Still, the fact she hadn’t answered him spoke volumes and he felt frustration wash over him.  Then he looked around at the others scattered through the rooms and saw most of them held the same expression and that frustration turned into a deep, simmering rage.  If they all felt this was wrong, why were they doing nothing to stop it?  Were they so afraid of betraying his father that they would rather let these atrocities slide.  After everything was said and done, he didn’t know if he could be around his brethren in any sort of casual setting.  It was hard to raise a tankard of mead with one he knew willfully killed Midgardian children.

Tightening his jaw as he walked past men he had once thought held the highest honor, Thor made his way to the kitchen and his father’s current headquarters.  The man he had once seen as a fair and just ruler was pouring over maps with an almost frightening scowl on his grizzled face.  He looked like a man possessed, his stubble coated upper lip pulled into a snarl while his one good eye glared down at the papers strewn before him unseeingly.  His normally groomed, white hair now stood in disarray and his broad shoulders were pulled up and forward, his body language speaking of someone feeling intense rage.  “Father, I cannot keep participating in this war,” he found himself saying, originally having come down to discuss where they were going to ‘search’ next.

They were preparing another mission into the realm outside to get more refugees when they felt it.  A general sense of unease settled over the growing city and the people could only stare at each other as and eerie silence filled the streets.  It was like the air was suddenly filled with electricity and Melissa found herself shuddering as she looked up at the sky.  She had come to the usual clearing they used to form their portals to the outside and she felt a heavy air of foreboding despite the clear day.  Jeremy and Loki felt it as well, pressing in on her as they began to move back to the growing town.  They barely made it to the edge of the buildings before all Hell broke loose.

One moment, things were perfectly fine and the next the ground was beginning to shake as the sound of thunder came from the blue sky.  “Fucking Christ,” hissed Irons, scooping the stunned female into his lean arms before she could protest.  Then he was running, going inhumanely fast as Loki easily kept pace.  Grim looks on both their faces, the two Asgardians made a bee-line for the mansion that was the center of the city.  At five months pregnant, Lissa was in no real condition to move that fast so she didn’t really raise too much of a fuss at the manhandling.  She was having a hard enough time just walking with the little bit of extra weight.  She really wasn’t looking forward to what she would be like during her final month.

As they got closer, they saw Rissa and Anthony heading towards them at the same pace.  Just as they were about to meet, whatever barrier protected this place from Heimdall’s vision broke apart as if hit with a huge force.  A loud ‘boom’ came from the sky itself as the air shifted and they felt the atmosphere change.  Though whatever had protected them hadn’t been visible, they certainly felt its absence.  In the next seconds, there was a rushing noise as Loki and Jeremy wrapped their arms around a stunned Lissa and pressed their bodies against hers.  It was shortly after that an area of air between the two groups seemed to ripple and suck in before exploding in a bright, white light.  The shockwave shoved the five people backwards, effectively scattering them as Odin and his army appeared.

The older Asgardian disguised as a voice actor moved immediately to shield Melissa from the older God’s baleful gaze.  Loki also moved, not towards Lissa but toward the man who called himself his father.  A vicious snarl was on his handsome face as green swirled around his hands, Frigga coming up from the right with a similarly deadly expression.  She had been on the training ground with new recruits as well as the old ones, putting them through their usual exercises.  Needless to say, she had come running as soon as the air had changed and she charged into battle with the ferocity of a mother protecting her child.  To say Odin was surprised would be an understatement, the ancient deity barely raising his sword in time to prevent his head from being separated from his shoulders.

Lissa, on the other hand, could practically feel her brain melting as she saw Odin and Anthony in the same place.  If the elderly actor’s hair was longer and he had a beard, he would look like the Norse God’s identical twin.  Even he was acutely aware of the similarities and had gone as white as ghost, his blue eyes going blank as he began to shake his head slightly.  “Fucking Christ, it’s like watching myself.  He may be just a bit taller and more muscular but God, his face,” the stunned man whispered, his accented voice sounding a shadow of its former self.  Marissa, who stood beside him, looked just as gobsmacked but managed to wrap the now shaking male into her arms.

“He’s not you though.  You’re right here with us after all but I’d be lying if I said it didn’t feel surreal seeing the resemblance,” Melissa murmured after her fried finished speaking, watching as Frigga stood toe to toe with her own husband.

The Goddess was terrifying, a murderous expression on her gorgeous face as her blade slid along the one belonging to the man she had pledged herself to aeons ago.  Thankfully her blood son had taken it upon himself to use the distraction this presented to grab hold of Loki.  The dark haired male surged against his brother’s tight hold at first, ignoring the orange and white blur that streaked past them.  Murmuring things in the younger man’s ear, the ‘Crown Prince’ led him away while the army behind his father began to shift in confusion.  “What are you doing?” Odin snarled, his one eye glimmering with malice as the wind blew through his hair and beard.

“Protecting our son,” she hissed, shoving him back into the golden wall of Asgardians behind him.

Jeremy was already moving before anyone else could, grabbing Lissa’s arm in a tight grip and practically dragging her behind him as he rushed to meet the two siblings halfway.  Blinking, the former assistant, shifted her focus to see where they were going and felt her heart leap in her throat when she saw her puppy heading for them at full bore.  “Lo-lo!” she called, yanking free of her former fiance to run for her pet.  Ignoring calls of her name, the brunette scooped the squirming bundle of fur into her arms and sobbed as relief filled her; burrowing her nose into his fur and allowing herself to inhale deeply.  Thankfully he didn’t mind one bit, whimpering and nuzzling into her before licking her cheeks.

“Lissa, get behind me,” she heard from yards behind her and she came to the horrifying realization that she was entirely exposed.  Even with baggy clothes it was easy enough to tell she was pregnant if you looked hard enough and she felt a sense of horror as Odin’s crazed gaze slowly shifted to her.

Everything from there happened in slow motion, Jeremy moving in front of her as Loki tore away from his brother to increase the speed he was closing distance.  Behind them, a look of comprehension was coming over the patriarch’s face.  It was at that instant that things went into full on fast forward, as if time was trying to make up for the temporary slow down.  The voice actor shielding her immediately opened portals all over the hamlet and practically dragged her and her puppy through one before Loki and Thor could reach them.  Then the hole closed, leaving her alone with her ex in a the middle of a shadowed alleyway.  “I panicked, I had to get you outta there.  I had to get you all out of there.  Christ, I have no idea where anyone ended up.  I just opened portals,” gasped out the exhausted shaking male as a fine sheen of sweat dotted his clammy forehead.

Then he was collapsing to his knees as he panted harshly, one of his hands holding onto her tightly.  Setting her squirming pet down, she helped the taller man to his feet and did her best to help him walk toward the end of the alley.  To her shock, another person soon helped lift his weight.  Turning her head, she saw a green eyed, orange haired version of Loki.  Blinking, she looked around for her puppy; realization sinking in when she saw no sign of him.  “Lo-lo?” she whispered, staring at the strange shade of hair he had.  It was the same shade as Corgi fur.  The almost too innocent version of Loki gave a nod before forming a portal of his own.  It was weak but seemed to lead to her home.

Unsurprised, she helped the transformed canine move her former fiance into her living room.  Once they were there, he let out a small whine before struggling to help her steer the lanky male toward her couch.  Once Irons was safely on the cushions, the former pet changed back and immediately spread out as he began to snore.  Ignoring the obviously fine dog, Lissa focused on making Jeremy comfortable as he began to lose consciousness as well.  “H-have to keep moving,” he hissed reached for her as his eyes closed against his will.  Placing her hand in his, she settled on the cushion and resigned herself to a long wait.

They would have to move again as soon as he woke up, just the fact her house was still standing a blue miracle.  Her poor pet had done all he could for them, it would be up to Jeremy to have one last trick up his sleeve or they would have to hope her description of Loki’s cabin would be enough.  From what she had seen, they could only form travelling portals to places if one of them had seen or had heard a very detailed description of the location.  She could only hope the few rooms she had seen, it would be what was needed and that her lover would be calm enough to meet them there.


	23. Red Dawn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Things may get a bit darker from here. War is never pretty, especially when instigated by a madman.

The quiet buzz of a fan filled a dark room as a pair slept on a bed, a smaller figure lying between them near the foot of the mattress.  A low light surrounded the figures as the older man murmured something in his sleep.  In the next instant they were somewhere else, an unfamiliar bed that was somewhere very far away.  One of the figures stirred slightly but quickly settled when the other murmured quietly.  Soft breathing soon resumed, the taller shape shifting to hold the other protectively in slumber.  Neither were aware of the place they had just been occupying being obliterated entirely, having been struck by a freak lightning bolt.

Soon huge strikes of electricity were raining from the sky, decimating all the places Loki had ever been as Tom.  Unfortunately this included a certain cabin up in the Rockies in Colorado.  In the room Odin was calling his throne room, the patriarch was pacing as the man guarding him watched; sending more lightning with a flick of his wrist.  He wasn’t deaf to the whispers happening behind his back, most of them having been started by Thor leaving in support of the half-breed traitor.  Everything was falling apart quickly, only further driving his need to find the monster and put an end to him once and for all.  Once the beast was dead, everything would go back to normal.  Yet, something still bothered him.  That female with the magic teacher...  It had almost seemed like they hadn’t wanted him to see her.

Stopping mid-step, the ancient being furrowed his wrinkled brow as he stroked his snow white beard in a thoughtful manner.  For just a moment, he had gotten a look at her.  In that brief amount of time, he had seen nothing that had caused his wife to attack him even more viciously than she did when defending the abomination she called her son.  Yet everyone had panicked as soon as she had broken cover, as if they were trying to hide something from him.  There was a very good possibility the Jötunn had burdened the Midgardian female with his seed.  Frowning, he stomped out of the large bedroom; heading to the first floor and straight into the basement.

Frigga stared up at the ceiling, blood flowing out of her mouth as her golden locks hung in her eyes.  Every inch of her immortal body hurt from her husband’s interrogation tactics but she had refused to give in or tell him anything.  Near the end of the hours long session, he had gained nothing and a few of his soldiers had started murmuring in discomfort.  Even Sif, one of his most loyal, had tended to her after and had seemed troubled.  If even one of them went to Thor’s side, she would secretly count it a victory.  A stair creaking behind her bound form made her tense briefly, the sickly scent of Odin’s insanity filling her nostrils.

At one time, his scent had been one of her biggest draws to the headstrong leader of Asgard.  He had smelled of storms, musk and large amounts of power; it had been addicting to her.  Not to mention just how much respect and love she held for him for all of the things his leadership had gotten them through.  He had been charismatic, caring, protective of her and Thor to a fault.  It saddened her that she saw none of that in the face before her now.  Instead of love and devotion, she now saw hatred mixed with paranoia.  Blue eyes that had once only held reverence now shone with suspicion. With a meaty hand, he reached forward to yank the grimy gag out of her mouth; hissing when she took the opportunity to spit a bloody gob in his good eye.

With a growl, he backhanded her  _ hard _ ; the noise of it filling the room and the impact making her head turn to the side.  Turning back to face him, she felt reluctant hatred brewing in her heart.  This was the man she had chosen to spend eternity with, to have the few children she would be able to with.  Maybe even share a grandchild when their own children were old enough.  Now she found herself protecting one of her children from him, as well as hiding the existence of a coming baby.  “Why were you trying so hard to distract me from getting a good look at the Midgardian woman?” he snarled, his words making a chill go down her spine.

Doing her best to keep a neutral face, the warrior female merely narrowed her eyes.  “I will tell you nothing,” she spat, a slight shiver of uneasiness going through her when she saw comprehension dawn on his bearded face.  This was soon replaced by rage tempered by fear.

“The bastard got the female pregnant,” the God bit out, getting to his feet before storming up the wooden stairs.  Frigga could only watch, sorrow and terror fighting for top spot and she struggled against the metal bonds holding her to the chair.  They were made of a special material that was impossible for Asgardians to break out of.

Upstairs, Sif was pacing while Volstagg watched with a disturbed expression.  “This should have stopped when we started killing innocents.  All those children I watched die while my brothers laughed...,” the disturbed female whispered, her brow crinkled as she moved.  The red-haired man watching her could only run a shaky hand through his curly, braided hair.  He and the others in the ‘Warriors Three’ happened to agree.  Things here had gone too far for far too long.  At first, all them had thought Loki was going to attempt another takeover.  When they had started hurting civilians and had seen nothing, they had clung onto the notion that the Trickster was just putting on a good act.  Now, now he knew they had all been lying to themselves; fooling themselves into thinking whatever the Allfather was doing had to be for a good reason.

“There have been horrors none of us should have allowed but what do we do sister?  What you are suggesting...,” he whispered, shuddering at just the thought.  To betray Odin, something like that was almost unthinkable to a loyal man like him and his fellows.

“I know very well what I’m suggesting!  Do you suggest we let more children die?  I already cannot sleep from all the screams in my head!  How many more families must die for the capture of one man?  A man who doesn’t even seem to be a threat anymore.  A man who seems to just want a family of his own as well as some modicum of peace!  I can’t do this anymore!  I could understand some of this if these people had been controlled or if they honestly had been trying to fight!  These are just civilians!  It’s almost as if...,” the brunette spat, trailing off as she realized what she had come dangerously close to saying.

“It is almost as if the Allfather is using this as an excuse to kill Midgardians...,” finished a new voice for her, making both whirl to face the intruder.

There, in the entry, stood Fandral in all his glory; dressed in his dark green and gold armor with his golden hair combed back neatly.  His normal stubble was absent and his cerulean eyes were full of guilt.  “Fandral!” Sif hissed, despite the fact that she was about to say the same thing just seconds earlier.  Shrugging, the blonde simply waved off the protest.

“We all know it and a disturbing amount of us are fine with this.  The question is, are we going to do something about it?  Our task has always been to protect the Allfather no matter what.  Now we find ourselves in a situation where doing such may compromise our morals as well as cost the lives of countless innocents.  Do we remain blindly loyal or do we do what’s right?” he whispered, a rather grim looking Hogun coming up behind him.

“I do not like it any more than any of you but he is right.  We must make a very hard choice, one that could very well cost us our homes or our lives,” whispered the dark haired warrior as he came up to stand beside his ‘brother’.  Sif and Volstagg could only stare at the other two for a moment before their faces set in identical expressions of determination.   
Yawning, Lissa stretched; her brow crinkling in confusion as she felt cotton sheets under her bare arms.  On top of that, there was also someone holding her.  Someone that smelled familiar but certainly wasn’t Loki.  Where the Trickster smelled of storms in snowfields, this person smelled more warm; almost comforting.  Opening her brown eyes, she found herself feeling confused when she saw Jeremy.  Not only that, but she was in what seemed to be a very old house.  It looked like it had been designed in the medieval times while still having modern conveniences.  Sitting up, she found herself looking around the room she was in as confusion and disorientation filled her.

The last thing she remembered was falling asleep beside the voice actor to make sure he didn’t disappear without her.  She had been in her own home, thinking about how to explain the layout of Loki’s cabin in the rockies to Irons so he would be able to transport them there.  Now she found herself in a wholly unfamiliar house and felt more than just a little bit of apprehension.  Had Jeremy teleported them to a random house in his sleep or was it one of the hidden places he seemed to have up his sleeve?  Looking at the obviously exhausted Asgardian, she found herself loathe to wake up the older male.  It was obvious that whatever power he held depleted with age as well as the fact he had lived as a human for so long.  It had probably taken a fair amount to transport them here, even if he had been asleep while doing it.

Reaching over to gently shake a bony, shirt covered shoulder, Melissa startled when the graying actor opened his weary, chocolate colored orbs before she could even touch him.  Then he was shooting up into a sitting position, looking around with a dazed expression.  For just a moment, the former assistant felt apprehension that he had no idea where they were.  Then recognition came over his thin features and relief replaced fear.  “I never thought I would end up back here...,” he whispered, getting slowly out of bed to stretch.

“I came back every so often to touch it up and keep it up to date but I never stayed too long.  I’m a bit surprised I brought us here,” the voice actor continued, cracking his neck before heading toward an ancient, handmade dresser.  On top was a knitted doily along with several framed pictures.

“Mom used magic to capture these images before your cameras existed.  Even after, she still preferred this method due to ease,” he murmured, answering a question she never asked.  Then he was turning, giving her a sad smile as she got out of bed.

“Are we still in Midgard?” the stunned woman asked as her pet hopped off the bed to join them.

“Yes, a very well hidden place that only my mother knew about.  This was my home for many years, until I started developing powers.  I needed to learn to control them and after, it was just easier to remain in Asgard.  We came here on Holiday every so often of course,” he replied, bending to give the happy Corgi a ruffle.

“So, I’m guessing little Loki here has more in common with your lover than just a name,” Jeremy surmised, his accented voice tinged with amusement as he scratched a large ear.

Lissa only chuckled before nodding.  “Yeah, as you may have surmised he’s a bit of the God of Mischief.  I should have guessed after all the times I came home to find destroyed stuffed animals I knew I had taught him were off limits,” she sighed, smiling when she saw the canine hunch guiltily and give her a doggy version of a shameful grin.  Stretching slowly, the brunette moved to the bedroom door; wanting to see the news before she brought up her idea to Jeremy.  A night was a long time to be down, Lord only knew just what had happened.  Just why she was here was the last thing on her mind, figuring he had moved them unconsciously.  When she reached the living room and turned the TV to a news station, she felt what little good mood she had drop instantly.

The camera looked like it was being held by someone who had no clue what they were doing, showing off her burning house in Britain.  Then it was panning to ‘Ol Sarge’ and she felt her gorge rise as she took in the charred wreckage of the T-bird.  The five month child she carried rolled uneasily inside her as she turned her head away from the scene.  A large bolt of electricity had struck the last relic she had to remember her family by and she had a feeling the cabin in the Rockies wouldn’t be in much better condition.  Changing the channel, she felt fresh horror wash over her as the full extent of the damage unfolded before her eyes.  Cities were devastated, the people they hadn’t managed to shelter in time running through the streets in terror as fires raged.

A bony, long fingered hand gently turned off the TV; drawing her attention to her former fiance.  The older actor was giving her a shameful smile before he was sitting beside her and wrapping an arm around her shoulders.  “That’s enough of that for now dear.  Stress isn’t good for the baby or you,” he murmured quietly, pulling her into his side as he allowed the hand on her left shoulder to travel to her slightly rounded stomach.  Allowing herself to relax into her ex, Lissa closed her eyes as she fought not to dwell on the whereabouts of her lover.  Some part of her felt a bit callous for being more concerned about him than all the innocent people out there that were getting killed or finding their lives destroyed.  Yet, an even larger part argued she shouldn’t feel guilty at all.

The brunette let out a slow sigh as she allowed Jeremy to lower her head onto his lap, the feeling of his fingers moving over her scalp doing wonders for washing away her confusing thoughts.  Loki was more than likely fine, given how peppy his canine counterpart was.  If he had been injured or killed, she was fairly certain the Corgi would have given a sign.  Even now, the puppy seemed torn between comforting her and exploring; his nubbin tail wagging a mile a minute.  “Yeah, I agree but... we can’t hide from it forever.  At some point we have to gather the scattered parts of our army.  Heaven only knows where they ended up in all the confusion.  The fact your portals led to random places doesn’t help either.  On top of that, I don’t imagine it would be a good idea to try to contact Loki or Thor with your portals either,” the assistant replied, her hands moving over her stomach to help the disguised Asgardian soothe her child.

“No... Heimdall would be able to use it to zero in on their position.  I can’t even leave breadcrumbs to allow anyone to find us.  I’m afraid we’re a bit stuck at the moment until we find out just where the Gatekeeper’s loyalties lie.  I still am not quite sure it was Odin finding us on his own in the hidden village.  There’s also the fact the Allfather is destroying every place Loki has been, another thing I doubt he would be able to do on his own,”  Irons sighed, looking troubled.

“There has to be something we can do.  We can’t just sit here while Odin destroys the world and our army is scattered to the four winds,” Melissa hissed, not liking the options laid out before them one bit.  If they couldn’t find a way to regroup, they were no better than dead.  The armies of Asgard would pick off their group until they captured the man they were after and she wasn’t about to allow harm to come to the God of Mischief.

The graying immortal pursed his lips, a thoughtful expression crossing his face.  “The best I can do is send out a dream signal of a neutral place to meet, something we are running on short supply of.  This may take a long time and it will drain me of power to keep the signal going at all times.  I will be unable to protect us from unexpected attack,” sighed his accented, worry tinged baritone as he met her gaze steadily.  Pursing her lips, the former handler mulled over his words before giving a slow nod.

“It may be a risk but its our best shot.  We have to get back together somehow if we’re to stand any chance.  Just what we’ll do from there, I have no idea.  I’ve never had to participate in a war before, let alone one against beings that seem unable to die,” she responded, doing her best to ignore the sense of dread that settled in the pit of her stomach.

Worried eyes watched as the dark haired trickster paced almost uncontrollably over the concrete floor of the warehouse they had hidden in for the night.  As much as he wanted to offer comfort, he had the sense that anything he said to try to lighten the situation would be seen as an insult and wisely chose to keep his mouth shut.  Especially given the fact Loki was separated from his pregnant mate, a situation that was frighteningly similar to what had made him go mad in the first place.  Suddenly, Sif appeared in a burst of white, rainbow tinted light; effectively breaking them both from the strange loop they were caught in.

In an instant, the pair were on their feet; the mischief maker’s hands glowing green while Thor summoned Mjölnir into his right hand.  The brown haired, warrior female merely held her hands up with her palms out in response, sliding to her knees as the ‘Warriors Three’ appeared behind her.  Needless to say, this only put the duo more on their guard; their eyes narrowing as the new trio also slid to their knees.  It was only when they showed the backs of their necks that the brothers finally relaxed, if only slightly.  “What do you want,” boomed Loki, sounding every bit the Jötunn he really was.  The Thunder God merely stood by his side, opting to stay silent and let his younger brother assume the leadership role.

“We want to join you, to help you stand against Odin,” Sif whispered, raising her head to meet Loki’s angry, red eyes.  The former Prince only sneered in disbelief, shaking his dark haired head before beginning to pace once more.

“Why should we believe you?  You four are his most loyal, seeing betrayal as worse than death.  You could very well be trying to lure me into a false sense of security so  _ he _ can find me and put an end to me,” snarled the former actor, his eyes an acid green as he stalked across the concrete floor aggressively.

“Because I have more than enough blood on my hands.  Because we have had our fill of killing innocents.  The screams of the children my brothers ripped from their families...  I will never get them out of my head,” the brunette warrior whispered, tears standing in her hazel eyes; the trio behind her nodding while keeping their heads lowered.

Stopping in place, the tall male closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he fought to regain control over his temper.  He wasn’t just angry, he was frightened.  Frigga was missing, along with Lissa and countless others.  Though, to be honest, he didn’t care all that much for his missing army.  Melissa and his mother were his top priority, his pregnant lover only slightly edging out Frigga.  If he were more himself; he would feel guilty for being so callous but, as it was, he was becoming almost frantic.  Thousands of possibilities flew through his head about what had happened with his beloved and Jeremy.  He absolutely needed to find them if he was to have any measure of peace, if he was to alleviate the itching under his skin.  In order to achieve that, it would be best to join with this quartet; as much as he didn’t trust them.  “Alright, because we need some allies right now you can come along.  However, if you betray me or attempt to harm my woman; I can assure you all the rumors you have heard about me will seem like a bedtime story compared to what I do to you,” he snarled, his eyes glimmering with deadly promise.


	24. Gathering Storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: More things happen. Everyone seems to have their own version of Hell to deal with.

Lightning struck the ground at regular intervals as a fierce storm raged in the once blue skies.  A silhouetted figure stood on the top of what used to be the Eiffel Tower, hair billowing around their head as a singular eye glared down at the pitiful maggots running in a panic below him.  Each vicious strike of electricity did nothing to alleviate the fury boiling inside his veins.  His most loyal had betrayed him for an abomination and his whore.  It was almost enough to make him sick.  Upper lip curling into an insane snarl, Odin simply summoned more bolts of voltage; reveling in the sizzle it left in his veins.

Below, unknowing of where the mad God was, Rissa was doing her best to gather as many of the panicked people as she could.  Her aqua eyes were wide with terror as she herded who she could into a warehouse she had found a while back.  Her ruby locks stuck to her clammy forehead as she frantically waved more people over to her group.  With any luck, some of them may even be members of the scattered village.  “Marissa!  Over here!” called a very welcome, accented voice, drawing her gaze to her only saving grace.

A rather bedraggled Anthony Hopkins was motioning her over to a dark alley, a worried expression on his pale, drawn face.  Giving him a nod to show she heard, the former professional gave the group she was herding rapid directions to the warehouse that was literally a few steps away before sprinting off to join the man who had become her partner in all of this.  As soon as she got a bit closer, she saw exactly why the actor had been so urgent.  There, huddled between two filthy, dented trash cans, were two children.  The pair were so smeared with dirt and debris that they very nearly blended into the wall they were pressed against.  It was only some small whimpers and slight movement that showed they were there at all.  How he had even found them, she would never know.

Moving very slowly, the assistant sunk down to a denim covered knee and began to just talk.  At first, the pair jolted and made animalistic noises as they clung to eachother tighter; pressing against the brick behind them as if they wanted to melt into it.  They were so frightened, they were nearly feral; their eyes wide and dulled by incomprehension.  Instead of being off put by their actions, Rissa just kept talking.  It was all silly things that wouldn’t matter to most but would mean a lot to a small, terrified child.  Mostly, she spoke about cartoons, school, how much she liked puppies.  After what felt like an eternity with the world falling apart behind her, the kids began to respond; if only slightly.

They actually began to shift toward her, sniffling as the older of the pair daringly peeked out.  Giving a closed lipped smile so she wouldn’t startle them, she began to ask them small questions.  Things like what their favorite toys were, what shows they liked to watch.  Even with the feeling of static thick in the air, Marissa remained calm; grateful for Tony’s presence beside her.  His grandfatherly aura also helped lure the two closer and they even began to answer some of the inquiries, albeit shyly.  Finally, a particularly loud crack of thunder drove the children into her arms and she was making a run for it; her heart pounding.  Then they were in the safety of the warehouse and she was releasing them, collapsing as they ran off into the crowd.  “If I may have your attention!” boomed a male voice from beside her, startling her into looking up at the thespian to her left.

His blue eyes, while terrified, held an authority; making him look more like the rampaging deity he used to portray than ever.  For just a moment, she almost felt as if she was in the presence of Odin himself.  So it was no surprise that the large group they had gathered went quiet as soon as he finished speaking.  His aura demanded respect and the poor sheep gave it willingly, frightened and looking instinctually for anyone who seemed like they knew what they were doing.  “My name is Anthony Hopkins!  This is my friend Marissa Thompson.  If there is anyone here who may know us from a hidden village, please step forward,” he called, his voice echoing easily in the empty, high ceiling building.

After a few beats of silence, there was some movement in the crowd.  Both were heartened to see a rather large amount come to the front, more than half in fact.  After a few moments, ten broke off from that group to move toward the pair.  Almost immediately, Rissa recognized all of them and ran forward to hug one of the forerunners.  “Oh thank Christ.  We found some of you,” she whispered, feeling just the tiniest sliver of hope.  The woman she was holding onto like an anchor was one of Loki’s generals and had managed to bring her faction with her.  Most of this faction had learned defensive, offensive and healing magic.  They were also adept at battle, giving them a decent chance of getting out of this mess alive.

“I was just thinking the same thing.  Any word from Jeremy or Loki?” whispered a calm voice above her, drawing her gaze to a woman with a more orangish shade of red hair.

“Nothing but that doesn’t surprise me.  We got scattered everywhere.  We’ll be lucky if we can find the rest of the army, let alone the village,” Marissa murmured, her heart jumping in her chest each time there was a flash of light from outside.  Screams and the dull smell of ozone mixed with blood filled the horror that was outside.  If she allowed herself to focus on it, she would go mad.

She had expended all her energy corralling the earlier group to add to their numbers and it wouldn’t be much longer before they would have to move.  If they stayed in one place too long, they ran the risk of attracting attention.  Especially as their group increased in members.  She was well aware of the reality that she couldn’t save everyone, no matter how much she may want to.  “What’s your plan?” came a question she had been dreading as she doubted very many of the the civilians would be willing to follow along.

While she had accepted her inability to save the majority of those still out there, these people had yet to come to the same conclusion.  She expected heavy resistance, arguing and even some threatening to leave or start a group of their own.  While she wouldn’t force anyone to stay, she would try her best to convince them the folly of such rash actions.  Though she honestly doubted the success she would have in such a venture.  “We need to convince this bunch to move on.  Its too risky to stay here any longer,” Rissa replied to the General beside her, feeling the weight of the world on her shoulders at that moment.

The other woman placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, drawing the former assistant to smile if only for a moment.  “I understand.  I’ll do what I can to help things go smoothly,” she replied before calling out for the group’s attention.  Closing her eyes and taking a moment to steel herself, Marissa turned to address her lost sheep.

“I’m afraid I must ask all of you to make a very hard decision,” she called out, forcing her voice to the height of its volume without outright screaming.

Elsewhere and quite oblivious to what was happening with her best friend, Melissa was doing some coordination of her own.  With some help from Jeremy, they had already begun to track down leading members of their army.  It was only a few so far, the effort of tracking down that many exhausting the aging Asgardian greatly.  As much as she longed to contact Loki in some manner, she deemed it to risky to them both; let alone the others involved.  She would just have to hope they could get their group back together before something catastrophic happened.

The increasing frequency and ferocity of the attacks scared her, making a myriad of unpleasant possibilities scroll through her brain.  What if Odin had figured out her condition and that was the cause of his rage.  What if his search was shifting to her instead of her lover?  With Jeremy putting all of his energy into rebuilding their group, they would be sitting ducks.  Feeling a cold wave of dread wash over her, the brunette found her gaze wandering down to the gentle swell of her pregnant belly.  Placing a shaking hand on the small dome, Lissa closed her brown eyes as her mind whirled.

She felt an incredible urge to just run, to put as much distance between herself and her former fiance as possible.  If the mad God had shifted his focus, she would be a massive liability to the older male.  If she stayed, he would become a target as well; a fact that turned her stomach.  She was so engrossed in her thoughts that she didn’t notice the subject of her thoughts turning his head to look at her from his position on a near-by couch.  Oblivious to the old teacher getting to his feet, Lissa cradled her head in her hands as she tried to slow her thoughts enough to think clearly.  In her condition, she couldn’t exactly afford to make rash decisions.

Needless to say, when she felt a hand descend on her shoulder the overwrought female came very close to shooting up to the rafters.  Turning her head,, she saw none other than Jeremy giving her an extremely grim look.  It almost seemed like he had read her mind or her emotions, much like Loki would; making a tsunami of guilt flood her.  “Melissa... what I felt from you just now...  Were you thinking of running away?” he whispered before she could say a word, his dark eyes glittering with an unreadable emotion.

Hearing it put so frankly made her heart drop into the pit of her stomach as she felt the color drain from her face.  Unfortunately, her few seconds of silence were seen as admission and fury clouded his brow.  Then he was moving to stand in front of her, both his hands on her shoulders as he loomed over her.  He looked like he very much wanted to yell at her, his nostrils flared as his chest heaved.  Instead, the actor simply closed his brown eyes and took a deep breath to calm himself before fixing her with a glare that made Lissa shrink back into the chair she sat on.  “My dear woman, you are five months pregnant.  Not to mention the fact you’re running from a God.  You have no magic of your own, at least not sufficiently strong enough magic to defend yourself with.  What were you planning on doing?  Also, do you really think that I would just let you run out of here without trying to find you?  Even if I didn’t have a strong tie to you due to our previous relationship, your pet here would lead me right to you,” he reasoned, his accented baritone strained with the effort of remaining civil as he gestured to the puppy that was currently curled in a ball in front of the fireplace.

Each word felt like a physical strike on her skin and she couldn’t stop herself from flinching on occasion as something in her chest tightened.  “I... I know but...  I just thought that...  I’m a danger to you Jeremy,” came out of her in a small, broken voice as she looked up at him.  That deflated the famous Asgardian immediately as he was moving to kneel before her, taking her hands in his as he sighed.

“I’m just as aware of our situation as you are but I am unwilling to allow you to put yourself and your little one in danger.  Its already bad enough you have yet to receive pre-natal vitamins and we can’t give you a balanced diet.  On top of that, all this stress and moving from place to place can’t be good either.  If you go out there alone, you could very well go into premature labor; something I can’t sit by and let happen,” Jeremy continued, pressing a kiss to the soft skin of her knuckles as he gave her his equivalent of puppy eyes.

That was enough to tip the overwrought assistant over the edge and she began to sob; loud, long, ugly howls echoing up from her chest.  Everything that had built up inside her during these past months came pouring out of her and she was helpless to stop the flood.  Vaguely aware of her former fiance wrapping her in his arm, she simply leaned into him; clinging to his shirt like it was a lifeline.  Soothing sounds came out of the thespian as his hands moved over her but her tears wouldn’t stop, they just kept coming like a flood from a broken dam.  It was only a warm body leaning over hers from behind that stopped the onslaught, her eyes opening wide as a sliver of fear shot through her.

That is, until an achingly familiar scent filled her nose; making her relax ever so slightly.  She would have thought it was Loki himself, if not for the slightly musky scent of dog that clung to the figure holding her.  Her suspicions were only confirmed when the man let out a whimper before licking at her face much like her pup would.  Unable to stop herself from giggling, she kissed the end of the humanoid dog’s nose in appreciation.  “Thanks Lo-lo, just seeing him helps.  Does his connection to you at least tell him if I’m alright?” she asked, charmed when the orange haired copy of her former client blushed before looking a bit sad.

“No, he knows you are alive and not in pain but he does not know you are safe.  I can feel his worry for you and the pup you carry.  He wants to reunite as soon as possible, something I do not blame him for.  He has lost much over his life and has no wish to risk losing more,” replied her loyal pet, the orange hair and innocent eyes the only thing making him stand out from her lover.

His answer made her heart drop to the pit of her stomach, her vision blurring as unconscious tears rolled down her white cheeks.  After what she had heard before all of this happened, she could only imagine just how distraught the trickster was at the moment.  On top of that, it was looking highly likely they would be separated when she gave birth.  With the connection he had to her pet, he would more than likely appear and effectively draw attention to all of them during an extremely vulnerable time.  Even if the God knew better, he would come.  He would tear through anyone who dared to try to stop him from being by her side.  He might even interrupt battle to care for her, a prospect she found horrifying.  Just as he couldn’t allow harm to come to her, she felt just as powerfully about him.

Jeremy could only watch as a myriad of emotions crossed over the assistant’s pale visage, a pang of worry shooting through his heart.  Especially when he noticed her rubbing the rounded dome of her womb.  Thus far, the babe had yet to move; something that concerned the actor greatly.  Normally, even unborn infants of Frost Giants were active in utero.  The fact this one had yet to kick or even roll was highly concerning and he had no access to a doctor to see if things were alright.  If anything happen to Lissa or the child, he didn’t want to think about what would occur.  “Can he communicate with you?” the voice actor found himself asking, hoping against hope something could be done to mitigate damage until the pair could be reunited.

The Corgi turned Asgardian turned to him with a raised brow before giving a nod.  “We can send messages mentally.  Sometimes, he can see things through my eyes,” he replied, still holding Lissa tightly.  Almost immediately, the assistant looked up at the transformed dog with a hopeful expression.  The grimace on his pale face in response made her heart drop into her stomach.

“Before you ask, I have tried to pass a message to him since we got here.  He’s too upset to receive anything,” Lo-lo responded, regret shining in his familiar eyes as he nuzzled her face.  Melissa could only nod as her eyes closed and pain swelled in her chest, her hands coming up to cup the taller man’s face.

“C-can he at least sense your emotions?” she whispered, a slight pleading tone clinging to her voice.

“Yes, at least as far as I will allow him to,” came the reply, comprehension dawning over the too innocent version of Loki’s face.

Before she could say anything, she found herself thrust in the air and spun around as her strange pet cackled in glee up at her.  “Brilliant mom!  I never thought about that until now.  While I can’t get a message through, emotions are primal enough to seep through the fog of his panic,” Lo-lo exclaimed, setting her on her feet and smiling down at her.  It wasn’t until her feet were on the ground and she was steady that the full effect of what he had said hit her.  This man, while being her beloved puppy normally, looked far too much like her lover at the moment.  To hear the word ‘mom’ come out of his mouth in correlation to her felt beyond strange.  Deciding to ignore it for now and to try to wipe it from her memory, Lissa opened her mouth to ask when he was going to do it.

Before she could say anything, she felt a familiar wave of cold fill the room.  Shuddering, she felt just the slightest hint of fear snake around her heart when she saw the orange haired copy of her lover roll his eyes back until nothing but the whites showed as his mouth seemed to open on its own.  A blue glow seemed to emanate from his lean body as he began to levitate, Jeremy rushing up to take her into a protective embrace.  The moment his arms wrapped around her, Melissa found herself nestling into his familiar chest; allowing his scent to soothe her as the cold intensified.  “I demand to speak with Melissa Einsil.  I refuse to believe these lies you send through my copy.  If you want to attack me, just come for me already.  Leave the Midgardian out of this!” boomed a voice that sounded almost monstrous, ripping through the poor transformed canine’s vocal cords like a hurricane.

Despite the heavy snarling, grinding distorting the voice, it was familiar enough to draw Melissa to peek at what was happening out of the corner of her eye.  Glowing red was fixed on her sightlessly, the crimson depths screaming to her despite the terror racing through her arteries.  Backing out of Irons’ hold despite his heavy protest, the handler turned to face the floating figure.  At that moment, the child she carried stirred for the first time; making her gasp as her hands flew to her stomach.  Looking from the taut dome to the apparition possessing her dog, Lissa felt hot tears fill her eyes as a sob slipped from her.  “Easy Loki, I’m alright,” she whispered, barely loud enough to be heard as she cradled her sizeable stomach.

Despite how little it was, it was enough.  The immense cold in the room faded along with the glow, Lo-lo’s body lowering to the floor as those red orbs continued to stare at her.  “Lissa...  Oh my darling...  He was telling the truth...  The pup was telling.....,” the voice sighed, the tall body swaying before seeming to crumple into a boneless heap on the floor.  As soon as he touched the floor, he was changing back into a dog; his small chest moving slowly as he slept deeply.  It was at that moment Lissa rushed forward to scoop the canid into her arms, nuzzling his fur as tears flowed freely.

A flurry of ‘thank yous’ came out of her as she pet his pelt, soft sobs leaving her as her unborn child rolled in her womb.  That reaction alone had been enough to tell her just who had taken over her pet.  The brief moment of relief she heard before Lo-lo had lost consciousness made her heart soar with a bittersweet happiness.  While they were still separated, at least the trickster knew she was safe.  Maybe, just maybe it would be enough to allow him to think rationally; to plan.  Right now, she could use all the background help she could get if she was ever going to get any of their group gathered.


	25. Buiding Tensions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Groups meet and Melissa has to make a very hard decision.

His wife had now escaped, the woman who could very well throw a huge wrench in his efforts had been reported missing just moments ago; the smoldering remains of the messenger laying behind him as he stared down at the random city below his perch.  To top it off, he was already running very short on loyal Asgardians that wanted to be in his army.  One by one, the more humanitarian ones had peeled off, leaving the most frightened or most sadistic behind and that number was dwindling quickly.  

Staring up at the angry, purple gray clouds above his head, Odin found himself considering truly desperate measures.  Even with all of the cities and Midgardians he had wiped from the planet, he had yet to find hide or hair of the abomination he had once called son.  There was only one being he knew of who might be able to track Loki, a creature that had every reason to hate the lowly worm as much as he did.  He could only hope the strange being was in a giving mood, let alone willing to work together.

Breaths fogged the air in front of a shadowy figured as they hunched in an alleyway, obviously doing their best not to be spotted.  A quick, hushed whisper in the inky darkness behind the silhouette causes the shadow to jolt, almost seeming to edge between staying and fleeing.  “Easy, we won’t hurt you,” husked a female voice, pitched low on purpose in an effort to go unnoticed by anybody that might be listening.  Cowering, the shaking figure nods a hooded head before edging closer.  A flash of red hair is seen in the murky darkness, giving the stranger pause.

“Marissa?” husks a naturally deep, feminine voice; sounding ragged due to prolonged screaming or chain smoking.  Then the animated pile of rags was collapsing, causing the small group that had been hiding near-by to dart forward and gather around the pathetic stranger.  Carefully, they lift the cloth wrapped, emaciated person; moving off toward the closest warehouse.

Somewhere, in a forest far up in forgotten mountains; dark figures move through the trees as silently as they can.  Given the fact they were last seen as enemies and it was practically impossible to get in contact without risking everyone, Sif and her three friends found themselves at a distinct disadvantage.  Still, it was much better than Loki himself coming.  With the huge target on his head, his coming would having been like allowing a tracking beacon to be attached.  Especially now that they suspected Odin knew about the existence of an unborn child.  His true target would now be shifted to the would-be mother and he wouldn’t be above using the sire to lead him to her.

In fact, that was the very argument she had to use on a very stubborn God of Mischief so he wouldn’t just take on this journey himself.  Despite the man being exceedingly smart, even that had come very close to not being enough to stay his hand.  In desperation, the normally noble woman sunk to a new low in order to get the point across.  The words she had shouted still rang loudly in her head, making her flinch as they edged closer to the coordinates Thor had given them.  Loki had been understandably unwilling to even look at them after her outburst.

“If you go out there at all, you’re just proving you want her to end up like Elise!” she had yelled, the words that had come out horrifying her.  Yet, as much as she wished she had said something a bit gentler, she wouldn’t change it.  He had needed to hear it, the downright betrayed glare he had shot her telling her those words had struck the right chords.  In time, maybe even the haughty former Prince would come to see why she had said what she had.

When Elise had died a part of him had died along with her, a fact that became apparent over the time she guarded him in his cell.  Seeing the man who had used her and thrown her away like a toy so utterly gutted had forced her to feel sympathy for him.  He had completely lost his will to live, having to be force fed by either her or one of the ‘Warriors Three’.  As much as she had hated him at the time, seeing him like that had made her forget his past sins.  He had been a simple shadow of himself, simply continuing the function of breathing, sleeping and relieving himself.  For a very long time, they had to treat him like a newborn babe.  There were some days were she was genuinely afraid they would find him dead from simple heart break, any spark that had been in him having been utterly extinguished.

Just thinking about it now brought her dangerously close to tears, making her forcefully shove those memories away.  They wouldn’t help now and she couldn’t exactly afford to show weakness at the moment.  Not if she hoped to avoid seeing him fall into the same state again.  This time, however, she had no doubt he wouldn’t survive.  His love for Melissa was much more intense and he seemed to trust her with his life.  If the worst were to happen, it would break him and he would likely wander off somewhere to commit suicide.

Shaking her head to clear it of her fears, the brunette warrior grit her teeth as she lead the way through the forest.  Everything depended on her reaching her destination with the letter from Loki.  If she failed now, Odin would win and Asgard knew what would happen afterward.  What made all of this worse was the fact they only had the fallen monarch’s connection to his doppleganger as any sort of means to get a location.  There was also a very good chance the legendary Irons would just fry them where they stood.  It was a doomed mission but one she had accepted and would do anything to fulfill.

Jeremy stared out the window as the night wears on, his lips pursed while the wrinkles on his face made him appear decades older than he was.  Somewhere out there, he could sense a very familiar group of energies.  The only problem was, the last thing he had known these people were his enemies.  They also should have no reason to seem to know exactly where they are.  Heimdall would likely be more focused on Loki as he was unlikely to find a mortal who had no magical signature.  To top it off, it was still unclear which side the gatekeeper was on, if he had chose any at all.  This left the aging magic teacher turned actor to wonder just what Sif and her trio were doing here.

Looking behind him at the canine counterpart of Loki, he was a bit relieved to see the animal was still sleeping.  If it  _ was _ the fierce warrior and her crew, it seemed they were nothing to worry about.  If they  _ were _ a danger, the elderly Asgardian had no doubt the Corgi would be growling in warning in an effort to protect his mistress.  The little creature cared deeply for the slumbering woman and would protect her with his life, much like the God he shared a soul with.  Still, he still felt a bit of unease as the shadows rapidly closed the distance.  He was severely outnumbered and his magic was limited.  It would be easy to overwhelm him.

Unfortunately, he ran out of time to think; a soft knock coming from the door and making Lo-Lo shoot to his stubby legs with his large ears perked.  Giving the pet an amused eyebrow quirk, Jeremy move to the wooden door; taking a deep breath before swinging it open.  What greeted his eyes immediately got rid of any misgivings he had in an instant.  The four mighty warriors were bowed to him, their necks exposed in the ultimate show of fealty.  “Forgive our intrusion Lord Irons.  We were sent in the stead of Loki to assess the wellness of his beloved and their coming child,” the brunette in front offered, her brown hair hiding her face.

Heaving a deep sigh, the voice actor allowed the quartet entry.  As soon as they were past the door, he was demanding an explanation.  As they spoke, he felt a deep sense of horror and revulsion growing within him.  He had a suspicion that Odin was going mad.  He had never thought the Allfather would go to the extent of torturing his wife for information.  It was only the fact that it was being relayed by these four people that made him believe it had happened at all.  Before he had left Asgard for his own reasons, Odin and Frigga had loved eachother deeply.  They had been in disagreement over the treatment of Loki but the mighty God had been far from even entertaining the thought of hurting his wife.

Not only that but what he was doing to Midgardian families was sickening, making the actor glad his ex was currently deeply asleep.  In her condition, hearing such horrific acts could likely cause a miscarriage.  “He truly has lost his mind and his soul.  Asgard help us all,” whispered his husky baritone as his hand came up to cup his chin, his index and middle fingers coming to hang in front of his mouth.  A deeply concerned expression crossed his face, the fact the crazed God likely knew a child now existed whirling in his head.  If that was the case...

“Nothing can help us now.  He controls the storms, the lightning.  Only Thor could hope to compete but his powers pale in comparison.  What he did to the Jötunn with an army, the Allfather can do by himself,” Hogun sighed, looking almost scared.

“We don’t just have Thor.  We have all of us, including a living copy of Loki.  If we find a way to band together without attracting attention, we could stand a chance,” Jeremy replied, bringing up his other hand to fold his fingers together.  There was another ace he wasn’t bringing up.  The existence of Anthony Hopkins.

With the way things were going, if they managed to get Odin alone it would be no problem to replace him with the much kinder actor.  And, with his army peeling away from him one by one, the possibility of defeating the mad God was slowly becoming feasible.  The only problem was getting their splintered group back together without being noticed.  The place his magic had decided to take them was rather remote and out of the way.  On top of that, any teleportation on his part would probably be ill-advised.  Any magic use seemed to be like a beacon to Heimdall.  With focus being likely shifted to Lissa and her child, Odin would be on them before they could make any moves if they made the wrong decision.  Yet, that left the question of how these four had gotten here unnoticed.

“How did you guys get here to begin with?” he murmured, unease settling somewhere in the background of his mind.  This feeling only deepened when Sif shifted her gaze away from him, as if ashamed.

“Loki, he portaled us to a location miles from here with only rough coordinates of where he had last had communication through his doppleganger.   A task he wanted to carry out himself and only let us come after some extreme duress,” she replied, the sound of a clearing throat stopping any further conversation as the small group turned to look at the source.

There, with a protective hand over the slight swell of her belly, stood Melissa Einsil; a steely expression in her brown eyes.  “And just why would he send  _ you _ ?  Last I remembered, you were loyal to Odin and thought of my lover as nothing but a monster,” hissed the former assistant, her puppy waddling to stand by her side and nose at her leg in an effort to offer comfort.  In seconds, the quartet were bowing at her feet; exposing their necks like they did with Jeremy.  A gesture that even Lissa, knowing nothing about ancient warrior cultures, could understand as a show of ultimate submission.

“We defected from the Allfather, Asgard forgive us.  The man has gone mad.  The kind but temperamental father has turned into a child butcher.  We have seen and committed many horrors during this ill-conceived campaign to recapture Loki.  None of us will have a night where we don’t hear the screams...,” whispered Fandral, his blonde bngs hiding his face as he kept his head lowered.

“We were sent to see if you and the child were alright.  Loki needs to hear from someone who has actually seen you and not a part of himself he splintered off.  Its not that he doesn’t trust the dog, he just couldn’t be sure if the communication wasn’t some trap concocted by Odin,” Hogun offered in a soft voice, acting much like an underling addressing his Lord.

Sighing, the brunette pinched the bridge of her nose; the fight flooding out of her.  While once considered an enemy, the four in front of her were also noble.  Once they chose to fight by someone’s side, they would be loyal until the bitter; a fact illustrated by them still offering their necks to her.  “Alright, I guess.  On your feet,” sighed out of her, the halfling child she carried rolling slightly as they did as she asked.

“Now, do whatever you need to ensure Loki doesn’t do anything rash,” Lissa continued, moving her hands away from her belly to allow them a clear view.

The figure lying on a mattress on the floor stirs, moaning softly as a hand raises to shield their face from the light.  “You’re awake.  We thought we’d lose you for sure with the extent of your injuries.  Just stay still, you have several broken bones,” whispered a kind voice from the other side of the room.  Then another person was entering, the sound of sneakers hitting the cement making the bedridden person flinch.

“He really did a number to you,” the newcomer continued, bending so they knelt beside the grubby mattress.  Light from the bare bulb overhead reflected off red hair, giving off the illusion of the visitor having a halo.

“Marissa...,” croaked out a voice more like a witch’s croon, a withered hand reaching for the crouching person.

“Shhh, its okay now Frigga.  I’m right here.  I won’t let anyone hurt you anymore.  I’m just sorry we can’t offer you better medical care,” the former secretary reassured, reaching forward to brush the gaunt face of the once beautiful goddess.

This skeletal, almost mad thing that had covered itself in layers of rags seemed so far removed from the Queen she had know that she had found it hard to believe it was the same person.  Her face had been reduced to a skull with skin stretched tautly over it, her body itself feeling like a bunch of matchsticks when they had lifted her.  Wide, crazed eyes stared up at her from between locks of matted, dirt caked hair as claw-like hands scrabbled at her clothes frantically.  “I’ve found you...  I’ve found...  Where is Melissa?  We need..,” the frail female gasped, only stopping when the other woman hovering over her placed a hand over her mouth.

“You need to focus on resting and getting well.  You won’t do anyone any good by dying,” Rissa stated firmly, aqua eyes sparkling with worry as well as determination.  Despite how bad this looked, Frigga wasn’t like the rest of them.  With any luck and some help, she would bounce back from this.

“Just need a few days.  We have no time.  He knows!” hissed the haunted woman on the ground, her bony chest moving rapidly as she refused to calm.  With the words that came out, the twenty-nine year old could guess why.

Feeling panic rush over her in an icy wash, Rissa forced herself to take several deep breaths to maintain control.  “Even if he does, he won’t be able to find her easily.  For now, we have to try to act rationally and plan as best we can,” she whispered, doing her best to ignore the anxiety clamping her chest into a tight ball.  The wasted Asgardian could only let out a forlorn sound, nodding reluctantly.

“As I am now, I would be of no use.  Once I am at full strength however, I do have a plan for how we could at least reunite  _ our _ group with Loki,” whispered the wise voice she was used to, doing wonders to help quell her inner turmoil.

As it turned out Loki didn’t  _ just _ want the warriors to do a check-up on her condition.  After Sif had sent off a brief message via telepathy, the Trickster turned actor had sent back new orders.  Her and her group were to stay with Lissa at all costs.  There was even more good news to top that off, he and Thor would be on the move very soon.  It seemed he was tired of being separated from his expecting mate.  The only problem was, he would have to travel on foot for safety.

Due to most of the cities being decimated, any form of public travel had been obliterated.  Even just travelling in a car was ill-advised simply because of the visibility the vehicle would have.  That essentially meant the two Gods would have to cross several states worth of distance and that left them very vulnerable.  Without Loki knowing where they were actively, they couldn’t move until the two brothers made it to this remote spot.  “Of all the idiotic...  Has he lost all sense?!  If we have to flee, he could be setting a very effective trap for himself,” Jeremy snarled while Lissa sat at the table and held her head in her hands.

“Not to mention the fact I won’t leave until he’s reunited with us,” she bit out, sounding angry and scared as everyone in the room turned to look at her; Lo-lo included.

Huffing as he pinched the bridge of his nose, Irons didn’t even bother to try to argue.  In all honesty, he didn’t blame her.  If he had been in her position, he would have said the same thing.  “Yes, there is  _ that _ .  Still, he must be going out of his mind.  He means no malice,” the actor sighed, feeling a headache coming on.

“That doesn’t mean he gets to put us in this position.  This is literally the last thing I wanted,” spat out the former handler, her vehemence surprising the small group in the room.

“Lis...,” Jeremy began, heading toward her to offer some comfort.

“No!  No, Jeremy!  It wasn’t supposed to go this way!  He was supposed to be safe!  Now we’ll  _ both _ be in danger!” the brunette yelled, her voice edged with tears as she began to shake.  The thespian only knelt beside her, taking her into his arms.

“You were planning to run when the time came weren’t you?” he whispered, the broken sobs more than enough of an answer.

“Oh hun, that would have solved nothing.  Do you think Loki would fight in lieu of trying to find you while you’re in labor?  He would put his own life at risk just to be by your side to protect you,” he reasoned, rubbing her back as she continued to sob.  Their small audience could only watch, each of them praying in their own way that things would go to plan.


	26. The Edge of a Knife

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Some time skips here. Things edge a bit closer to the confrontation with Odin.

In a dimension where neither time or space existed, a pair of evil, orange tinged eyes opened to glare at a figure floating in the nothingness.  “Do we have a deal, son of Asgard?” boomed a voice that both came from everywhere and didn’t exist at the same time.

“For now.  Just know that if you betray me, I will make sure you will pay,” snarled Odin, his good eye narrowed as he disappeared from the strange realm that existed between everything.

As soon as he was gone, deep, malicious laughter echoed into the swirling blues and greens of the nothing.  “I would like to see you try but you are nothing compared to me ‘Allfather’.  As soon as you let me out of this prison, I will put my  _ own _ plans into play,” boomed a voice that was ancient as well as downright demonic.

“My first order of business is the one you used to call son, Loki.  He still owes me... a payment for his betrayal,” hissed the loathsome voice, seeming to reach all the way to a pair travelling across an arid expanse of desert.

Smoking, burnt out craters littered the ground around them as they made their way carefully.  Suddenly, the darker haired of the pair stops; sand whipped against the goggles and scarf covering the vulnerable parts of his face.  “What is it?!” hollered a deep voice over the howling wind that tore at their clothes.  The other didn’t answer, merely cocked his head to one side as he listened to something only he could hear.

“Thanos...,” whispered a raw, throaty voice, sounding broken as well as scared; much like a small child.  Then he was moving, the hood covering his head falling back to reveal ebony colored hair.  If Odin had joined forces with the mad deity, things were much more dire than he originally thought.  While their small group held a fair amount of power, they could barely stand against the Allfather.  They would have no hope against something as powerful or as insane as the blue horror.

“Loki, Loki what?!” called out the muffled voice of his half brother as he ran, allowing his connection to Lissa to guide him.

It wasn’t like a picture in his mind or anything, it was more like a dowsing rod attuned to the woman’s energy.  If he moved off the path, the signal got weaker and that was about it.  It wasn’t all that solid and could very well blink out if anything happened to his former assistant.  Gritting his teeth, he kept moving; wishing he could just use his powers to teleport to where he needed to go.  Yet, if he dared to do that, it would not go unnoticed.  Rolling his eyes skyward, he cursed the gatekeeper before putting all he had into just running; ignoring the calls of Thor.

Elsewhere, in the mountains, things were relatively peaceful despite the fact things were going to Hell in a handbasket.  Jeremy was sitting with Lissa on the couch while Sif and her warriors made food in the kitchen.  It had only been a few days since the quartet had brought the news and the former handler was taking things rather well.  Other than an outburst on the first day, she had stayed calm; using her ex as a living plush to comfort herself.  Right now she was watching her corgi, amused by how the pup has spread himself out on the floor.  He looked like a furry pancake, making her giggle despite her inner turmoil.

Then, as if hearing something, the stubby canine was shooting to his short legs; quivering nose raised in the air.  The fur on the base of his neck bristled, a low growl coming out of his small body as his nubbin tail tried to tuck itself under him.  This effectively broke the semi-peaceful atmosphere, Jeremy and Lissa shooting to their feet in unison.  “Do you sense something?” the aging actor asked, placing protective arm around Melissa’s shoulders as he looked around apprehensively.  Looking up at his companions, the puppy shook its head before shooting a glance at the newcomers in the kitchen.

The four warriors had only been there a few days and, despite them seeming to bring news of Loki, that just wasn’t enough time to establish if they were trustworthy.  Thankfully, the small group seemed to understand what was going on without being told; heading upstairs and away from the living room on their own.  As soon as they were gone, Lo-Lo began to whimper and pace; his large ears tilted back as a worried expression came over his fuzzy face.  “Thanos.  Odin has made a pact with the Mad God...,” he whispered, green eyes flicking to the woman he considered his mother.

Lissa lost all color in her face, swaying slightly as a hand went up to her forehead.  During her time working with Loki when he was ‘Tom’, she had seen all the Thor and Avenger movies by proxy and was very familiar with the storyline.  Just hearing that Thanos was involved made her blood run cold.  In the movies, he was cruel, calculating, dangerous and just pure evil.  She really didn’t want to find out if the films had downplayed all these qualities.  If he truly was involved, things would doubtlessly get more bloody fairly quickly.  Their only chance would be to find their army and hope their combined power would be enough.  The only problem was, none of them had the foggiest idea of where the others could be.

Large, brown colored eyes looked around a corner cautiously, a stick thin body shivering under borrowed clothes.  Clutching the heavy jacket that hung off their frame, the figure made their way toward the door.  “There you are!  I know you want to help but you won’t be able to do much of anything if you don’t allow yourself to heal,” sighed a voice from behind them, causing the person to slump slightly.

“I know but.... Both my sons are out there.  My unborn grandchild...  My daughter-in-law,” sighed a ragged voice, curls framing a gaunt face as a head turned.

“Frigga... please.  We all know what you’re going through.  Hell, Melissa is more than like a sister to me.  I love her with all of my heart and I want nothing more than to know she’s safe but we need to gather more of our people.  We’ve only found a portion of our troops and we have to stay here until you’re well.  Do you understand?” Marissa reasoned, heartbreak in her own voice as she closed the distance between herself and the weakened Goddess.

The matriarch slumped, nodding as she allowed the other woman to lead her back to the room that had been set up for her in the warehouse.  “Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll get at least some of your strength back soon.  At least enough to attend the meetings as well as move with us,” the red haired femme assured, helping the older woman lower herself onto the meager mattress laid on the floor.

“Yes, a few more days but I don’t think we have that time.  I heard a voice in my dreams.  A voice I hadn’t heard since Loki waged war on Midgard,” Frigga whispered, laying down and tugging the other woman’s hand to get her to kneel.

Taking a seat beside the ailing Asgardian, Marissa could only nod as she took a seat on the cold, concrete floor.  “Was it Thanos?” she whispered, her aqua eyes glimmering with fear as her charge nodded slowly.

“Yes, but how is it you know of him?  These events happened long before your timeline existed,” came a question that the assistant fully expected.  After all, while considered Gods, the Asgardians were anything but omnipotent.  A fact she was endlessly grateful for.

“Its a long story.  I’ll tell you as much as I can,” the weary secretary replied before going into the story of ‘Tom’ and the movies he had made.

Months pass, Loki making his way painfully across deserted wastes with his half brother at his tail.  He was exhausted, pushed far beyond all his limits but he forced himself forward.  It had almost been two months already and he was desperate to get to his mate’s side.  She would be seven months pregnant by now and had a rather huge target on her.  Having her so far from him was literally driving him insane with worry.  Yet, as long as he could feel his connection to her, he knew she was at least alive.  Whether or not she was safe was a whole other matter.  So he kept moving, despite being on the verge of a full on collapse.

Thor could only watch, his heart aching for his once arrogant and cocksure brother.  With his mate and unborn child in danger, the Asgardian was understandably distraught.  Yet, the God of Thunder had never seen his powerful sibling like this.  He was almost a broken man, forcing himself forward through sheer will; allowing nothing to stop him.  Even his own attempts had fallen on deaf ears and he had fallen silent to keep an eye on the other man.  Sure enough, the strong male was pitching forward; hitting the ground face first with a resounding thud.  Scooping a far too thin body into his arms, the former crown prince made his way to a small shelter.  Until Loki awoke, there would be no point in continuing.  All he would do was get them lost without the connection the sleeping deity had to Lissa.

Lissa herself was currently pacing, frustrated with how slowly things had been going.  With the help of Sif and the others, they had slowly been able to gather bits and pieces of their former army but it was taking far too long for her taste.  Huffing in frustration, she glared up at the ceiling as she rubbed the taut dome of her large stomach.  “You know, if it wasn’t for you, things would be a lot easier.  We still have no idea whose side you’re on and things are getting worse by the day.  If you really can watch everything, how can you justify what your leader is doing to us.  All in an effort to get to someone who is no longer a threat,” she hissed, filled with a hatred she honestly hadn’t felt herself capable of.  Then she was simply blinking out of existence, Jeremy and Lo-Lo staring at where she had been with a growing sensation of outright panic.

One moment she was in the living room of her ex’s hidden home, the next she was in a round, golden building with a smoking dias in the middle.  The top of the huge, round structure was glowing brightly, a never-ending mist seeming to flow in and out of it at the same time.  The bottom seemed to be part of the floor itself, giving the illusion it had shoved its way through the very floor.  On the other side stood a nine foot tall giant of a man, surprisingly kind, gold eyes looking at her from a bronze skinned face.  The hulking figure was covered head to foot in ornate, golden armor; making him resemble some strange viking.  “I take no side.  I cannot.  I am merely an opener of ways.  Odin is merely the one in top authority.  I have no reason not to let him travel where he wishes, yet I have no reason to tell him what he doesn’t already know,” boomed a voice that seemed to come from the room itself, almost making her cower.

Licking her lips as her heart pounded, Melissa gathered her courage before speaking.  “I... I had no idea...  We all thought you were helping him,” she whispered, wanting nothing more than to flee but having nowhere to really escape to.  If Odin came here now, all her efforts would be for naught.  The maddened patriarch would no doubt use her as a bargaining chip for Loki’s life, killing them both in the end and ending her child before it could be born.

“No, but if he asks me to take him to a specific person I must.  It is my job.  However, that does not mean I have to like what I am seeing.  I see the pain of all he has killed, I see what he has done to his wife and sons, I see him slowly growing more insane.  While I am bound not to take sides, I am not sure how much longer I can abide by those rules,” he assured, his voice still echoing through the walls of the room as he met her eyes steadily.

“W-well, since you are neutral; there’s no reason I can’t use you.  Its not like you’re going to tell Odin about this,” the former assistant pointed out, feeling the first threads of hope.  When Heimdall only smiled widely, that hope bloomed into outright elation.

Fighting off the urge to celebrate, she forced herself to calm down so she could act rationally as well as quickly.  It wouldn’t be wise to push her luck too far but she wanted to transport as many as she could.  So, taking a few minutes to form the request, Lissa very carefully gave the command.  By the time she was done, the gatekeeper was nodding slowly.  “I can do that.  If you need my help, call my name.  I would be happy to open the door to a Princess of Asgard,” he capitulated, bowing to her as she disappeared from his hub of reality.

Blinking as she appeared on the couch, she looked up to see Jeremy looking at her with stark concern; his gaunt face deathly pale.  Then his hands here on both her shoulders, the orange haired Loki that was her dog standing not too far behind him.  “Heimdall,” the pair hissed in unison, both looking different variations of frightened.

“He didn’t hurt me!” she blurted loudly before they could start flinging questions as well as baseless accusations.  Thankfully, this was enough to still them; anger fading for guarded relief as well as a hint of confusion.

“Does this mean he’s still neutral?” the Asgardian turned actor holding her asked, blue eyes shining with worry as he took a seat beside her to wrap her into his arms.

“Yes, he’s always been nothing but a gateway.  He’s a helpless servant in all of this.  But that doesn’t mean he can’t help us.  As uncomfortable as it makes me, my relationship with Loki seems to have granted me certain privileges; her words interrupted when a portal opened in their living room and people began to pour out of it.

Within moments, it was too much for the small house to handle; many of the uninjured ones having to go outside.  Thankfully, most of the people that had injuries only had superficial ones; the most severe one being a broken arm that had already healed.  Still, as she looked around, she felt encouraged by the fact most of them had gotten off unscathed.  “Alright.  Now for the next step,” she whispered, holding tight to both Lo-Lo and Jeremy in case things went awry.  She had already lost Marissa and Loki during all of this, if she lost these two she would truly be up shit creek.  Even if she ended up with just her beloved pet, at least the doppleganger had some teleportation capabilities; albeit limited.

Before either of them could ask, the entire group was transported to a huge warehouse; surprising the shit out of another group that had already been camped there.  Thankfully, they still recognized most of eachother; immediately erasing tensions as the two factions merged to reacquaint themselves.  Sighing in relief that both stages had worked, Lissa began to move through the crowd.  Calling out for Marissa, hoping the other woman could hear her over the din while her ex and her dog in human form made sure to stay close to her.

After a few minutes, she heard a responding voice; accompanied by two others that made her heart soar with relief.  “Frigga?  Tony?  Over here!” she hollered, standing on her tiptoes and waving when she caught a glimpse of red.  Finally, in a gap between people, she saw her longtime friend and practical sister; a ragged sob of joy escaping her as she ran to meet the other woman.  Rissa ran forward as well, looking just as overjoyed as they hugged tightly; only breaking their embrace to look eachother over.

The other four soon joined them, Frigga and Anthony wrapping the young woman into a group embrace as they shared their elation.  “You look so well Lissa!  And look at that baby!” Rissa gushed before hints of concern began to show through her happiness.  Knowing her friend was beginning to wonder why they would take such a huge risk, the former assistant to the stars launched into the fairly short explanation.  By the time she was done, both the older Goddess and the secretary looked relieved.

“It is good to hear he still remembers his purpose, even when he has begun to question it,” the malnourished matriarch whispered, her voice still hoarse from her long weeks of torture.

Lissa was about to speak when there was the sound of another portal opening, everyone going on the defensive with the exception of the former handler.  “Its okay, that’s probably Loki and Thor.  They’re the last ones I asked him to bring over,” she reassured before heading to where the portal had appeared.  Sure enough, a large crowd was already forming around the pair; murmurs coming from them as she pushed her way through.  Eventually making it into the circle around the half siblings, she felt her heart drop into the pit of her stomach when she saw Loki.

The once vibrant God was thin, thinner than he had been planning to go for when he had accepted the role of Hank Williams.  Dark hollows circled his closed eyes, his once groomed locks matted and greasy on his head.  His lips moved with fitful whispers while his head tossed, as if he was caught in a living nightmare.  Thor was kneeling on the ground to keep his head cushioned, looking up to give her a look that was just as full of relief as it was by worry.  “Oh, thank the Norns you are alright.  Come here little sister.  Your voice may revive him,” the man formerly known as Chris Hemsworth urged, motioning to her with a bruised, bleeding hand.

“But, what could I possibly...,” she replied, the people around them going oddly silent as she began to move toward the fallen God and his haunted brother.

“Please, you do not know what these months of separation have done to him.  Its nearly driven him mad.  Just... just try,” the Crown Prince pleaded, shifting to the side as she willingly took his pace as her beloved’s pillow.

Looking down at the sickly deity that barely resembled the man she had fallen for, Lissa felt tears clog her throat.  Clearing it as she did her best to swallow her sobs, she let out a shaky breath as a hand moved through his knotted, unkempt locks.  “Loki, I’m here.  Our child is healthy and growing.  I can’t wait for you to see it, to feel it kick.  I... I’ve missed you so much,” she whispered, her heart an aching sore in her chest as she rested her forehead against his.  A deep inhale was her only response, the unconscious trickster rolling to face her as he seemed to relax.

Feeling hope jolt through her with a painful twinge, Lissa smiled as a tears slowly slipped down her pale cheek.  “I’ll stay here all night with you if you need me to.  I won’t leave your side until you wake up,” she reassured, kissing his cheek.  When she pulled back, she was startled to see him looking up at her with a dazed expression in his clouded eyes.

“Lissey?  C-can it really be you,” he husked, reaching up with a shaky hand to touch her cheek; fairly flinching when he felt skin.

Before she could respond he was enveloping her in an embrace, still mostly asleep as he began to shake all over.  “Lis... Lissss,” he hissed, slipping in and out of coherence as he nuzzled into her neck; placing a loose hand on the dome of her stomach.  Thankfully, Thor chose that moment to lift the pair into his arms like they weighed nothing; carrying them into the back so they could have some privacy.  Laying them on a mattress, the God took a breath before giving her a kindly smile and leaving.  Sighing, Lissa curled around her whimpering lover; whispering to him as he fell into a fitful sleep; having to comfort him many times through the night and reassure him she was still there.


	27. An all too Brief Surcease

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Had to take five days to visit family, hopefully things will be back on track.

Staring down at the sleeping figure of her beloved, Lissa found it hard to believe this broken shadow was the same person.  If she dared to even cough, he’d jolt awake; already searching for her despite the fact she was right beside him.  No matter how often this happened, she treated it the same.  Taking him into her arms, she would nestle the much taller man under her chin like a small child; rocking him as she reassured the shuddering trickster that she was right there.  It was as if he was afraid she’d simply disappear after being separated for so long, making her wonder just what he’d gone through on his long travels.

As a consequence, the protective woman wouldn’t let anyone but Frigga in the room they were given.  Even her dearest friend, Marissa, had been excluded; as much as the former handler longed for her company.  Anyone else but his mother would likely be overwhelming in his current state and even her presence could be a bit much at times.  Mostly due to her still sickly and weakened appearance.  While he was trapped in the depths of panic, he wanted nothing more than comfort and safety.  It was when he regained lucidity that it became a problem and those times were only growing more frequent as time wore on.

While that normally wouldn’t have been a problem, he wasn’t regaining his normal composure as quickly.  This made it very hard for him to see his mother in such a bad state.  Often, the weakened former actor would be put into a state between anger and worry; making him relapse into sickness for a few days.  As much as it pained both women, they decided he’d be better off if she didn’t visit until she’d fully healed.  Thankfully, the process was happening quickly so it would only be for a few days; something the ailing male was used to.  Still, that didn’t make her absence easier.  Especially on the days he had nightmares about losing his beloved mother.

Sighing as she kissed his brow, she was just grateful everyone had understood why she was doing things the way she was.  He needed quiet and some time to recover.  Yet, some part of her was scared he would never be the same man she’d come to love.  She honestly missed his arrogance, his confidence, the sense that nothing could overpower him.  They need that strength, especially with Thanos and Odin working together.  In his current condition, he wouldn’t be leading anyone anywhere, let alone be able to help them fight when it came to it.  He couldn’t even be alone for more than a few minutes, seeming to start panicking after a few moments of her absence.

A gentle knock on the door drew her from her dismal thoughts and she pet Loki’s hair as he snorted softly but didn’t awaken.  Getting out of bed as quietly as she could, Lissa walked across the room to open it; frowning slightly when she saw an obviously worried Thor on the other side.  Her irritation wasn’t helped any when the much larger man tried to push his way in immediately, only stopping when she started to shove him back out the door.  Giving him a glare, she made sure the door was shut before leading him far down the open hall and to broom closet.  Shoving the blonde inside the tiny room, she closed the door before utterly unloading on the normally favored God of Thunder.  “At a time like this, the last thing he needs is to see you!  I’ve  _ never _ seen him so lost and vulnerable before!  I know you’re worried, but he doesn’t  _ trust _ you fully!  You need to trust me when I tell you to leave him the fuck alone right now!” she spat, already nervous about being out of the room Loki was sleeping in.

Even when he was unconscious, he could sense her absence; making any trips to the bathroom a practice in forced efficiency.  If the broken God turned thespian saw her with his brother, it could very well make him snap.  The normally stable former Prince was in a highly abnormal state, almost as if him being torn from her had thrown him back into his painful past.  Just thinking about the poor girl and her unborn baby made her shudder, a hand going to her heavy stomach as her own baby rolled within her.  “Sister, I know I have done him many wrongs in the past but we have traveled far together.  Don’t you think things might have changed in that regard?  Besides, I merely wish to see him.  It has been weeks since you two entered that room and he has yet to come out for anything,” the well-meaning, norse male pointed out, only looking confused when she shook her head.

“Don’t you think there’s a  _ reason _ for that?  Being separated from me during all of this, it seems to have done something to him.  Or... maybe it has more to do with Thanos’ return,” hissed the ex-assistant, viciously poking his built pecs as comprehension slowly dawned over ‘Chris’’ tanned face.

“He  _ has _ been actin’ a bit strange for a while now, pushin’ himself further than he had any right to.  It almost seemed like he was driven to find you beyond any reason.  Though... that business with that servant girl...  Oh... norns...,” he gasped out as everything finally sank in.

“Yes, it was like he was reliving the past.  A past that caused him unimaginable pain.  Only, I think he has a much deeper connection with me than he did with her.  I’m not saying what they had wasn’t powerful, its just that he was unlikely to form an extremely deep relationship with anyone at that point.  Not with what he’d been through,” Lissa sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose as she tried to reign in her irritation at the former star’s stupidity.

“What he’d been through?  All I know is that he just suddenly started acting moody out of the blue.  It was soon after father had revealed to the people what brother’s true heritage was,” Thor murmured, his confusion only making her rage grow.

“ **_How can you be_ ** **_that_ ** **_oblivious?!_ **  For fuck’s sake!  Everyone treated him like a monster with a grand total of  _ two _ exceptions!   _ Then _ not only is the one woman he can start to trust fully killed before his eyes but his unborn child is killed as a consequence!  Once Thanos started on him, it was only a matter of time before the whole Tesseract incident happened!  You’re his fucking  _ brother _ , you’re supposed to be there for him and notice when something’s wrong!  Yet you were too wrapped up in your own fame and glory!” the furious femme screamed, not caring if she alerted the entirety of the warehouse to what was happening.  Thor could only flinch, all the light draining out of his sky blue eyes as he sagged.

She was just about to let him have it even more when she heard a very faint, far away voice calling.  Holding her breath, she brought up a hand to halt any noise as she listened as hard as she could.  “Melissa!  Please, you  _ need _ to answer me sweetheart!” hollered a vaguely British accented voice, making panic race through her blood in a cold chill.

“Mother fucker!  He can’t see me with you.  Stay here until you hear us leave,” hissed the former professional before opening the door and heading into the hall.  Thankfully, Loki was facing away from her; his lanky body already shaking as he seemed to be trying to decide what to do.

“Loki!” she called, feeling a twinge of deep guilt when he spun and fairly swayed as his gaze landed on her.  He looked profoundly worried, his eyes flashing between blue and green as he rushed toward her.

Wrapping his arms around her, he held her head against his chest as he began to place kisses on the crown.  “Thank the Norns....  Thank the Norns...  I thought...  Christ, you need to tell me when you plan on leaving the room for more than a few minutes,” gasped his unsteady voice above her, his hands twitching on her back.  Lissa could only nod, kissing under his chin to soothe him as he led her back to the room they’d been given.  Once they were back inside, the Prince turned actor pulled away from her; allowing her to see some of the fire had finally come back into his eyes.

“Sorry for going at ya like that out there darling.  You just scared me.  I thought I’d lost you again.  I don’t think I can go through that again.  Not with you so close to giving birth,” whispered her former ward, the air around him going cold as his eyes flashed a deep red.

“I understand.  Besides, its not like you actually yelled at me.  I’m just glad you’re showing some life again,” the brunette returned, her brown eyes fixed on his.  Loki opened his mouth to protest but quickly closed it again, frowning as he seemed to remember just what had been going on the past few days.

“I... was a bit lost for a bit, wasn’t I?” he husked, looking down at himself as if for the first time.  While he had been lithe before, he now bordered on becoming emaciated.  Thankfully, he had been gaining some weight and muscle mass back since they’d been reunited but he still had a long way to go until he was fit again.

“Yeah, but I don’t think anyone can blame you.  I’d say all of this probably forced you into some sort of flashback,” she suggested, closing the small distance between them to wrap her arms around his thin waist.  Her lover only grimaced, nuzzling into her neck with gruff noise.

“I don’t even want to think about it Lis.  All those months... I never thought I’d see you again,” he murmured, squeezing her tight.

“Yeah, let’s just talk about this stupid war and how we have to somehow kill Odin and replace him with Tony without anyone noticing,” she grumbled, blinking when her lover pulled away from her to look in her eyes.

Gone was any sign of weakness or timidity, replaced with a fiery enthusiasm that honestly scared her a bit.  “What did you just say?” he breathed, some of his old fire starting to gleam in his eyes.

“Uh, one of our plans was to somehow dispose off Odin and replace him with Tony.  Since they look the same, no one should see much difference,” she responded, blinking when the former actor began to nod in agreement.

“That might actually work but it would be tricky to pull off with Thanos in the mix.  Chances are, he’s watching us even now and there’s nothing we can do about it.  Our best hope would be to strike  _ him _ first,” mused the Norse male, rubbing his stubble covered chin before he actually began to grin; a bit of his old self shining through as his magic slowly began to swirl around his body.

“Yes... I think I have a plan,” he murmured, almost as if he was talking to himself before he was grabbing her arm in a tight grip.

Then he was running toward the door, Lissa dragging behind him slightly as apprehension began to fill her.  He’d only just fully come back to himself.  She didn’t want to risk him relapsing into a catatonic or unconscious state.  “H-hold on!  You don’t want to push yourself too far too fast,” she tried to protest, actively tugging against him in an effort to slow him down.

“I’ll be fine!  I have to be!  I’ve been down for far too long and we don’t have the time to dally.  I have to push past this, before Thanos and Odin can enact whatever plan they have come up with,” he declared, bursting into the room where most of the group had gathered.  This, of course, caused the whole room to turn to look at them.

From there, things happened very quickly.  Like a living tidal wave, the people they had trained as well as just brought to the original village surrounded him; Jeremy swooping in to save Melissa from the massive mob.  Looking up at the voice actor, she simply sighed as she kept an eye on what was happening to Loki.  Thankfully, he seemed to be handling the influx of attention well; seeming to look around for someone.  “If you’re looking for Frigga, she’s in a separate bay with the children.  She wants to keep up on their studies,” she called, her inner assistant still alive and strong.

Giving her a nod, the former actor politely made his way through the throng; heading toward a door that lead to the rest of the massive building.  Lissa simply stayed where she was, knowing her companion would likely want to be alone when he saw Frigga.  With the state he’d been, she wasn’t sure if he remembered the older woman’s condition.  While the Goddess had been steadily gaining back weight, she still looked a bit shocking.  Even Thor seemed bothered by her condition, getting a strange look in his eyes every time he saw her.  Needless to say, none of this gave her much hope for what Loki’s reaction would be.  So, with a sigh, she went to find Marissa; Jeremy close behind her.

The redhead was, oddly enough, sticking close to the Crown Prince.  In fact, to her amusement, her practical sister was even giving him a touch of the doe eyes.  A look she was certain she’d given ‘Tom’ more than once.  Unfortunately for her dear friend, the former receptionist had fallen for one of the most oblivious men on the face of the planet.  Even now, the deity seemed unaware of her interest but certainly seemed to enjoy her company.  If things were given a bit of a nudge, there was no doubt a romance would blossom.

Despite the seriousness of their situation, Lissa smirked at the prospect of playing matchmaker.  The pair would make a good couple and Rissa would no doubt help level out some of the young monarch’s shortcomings.  Still, she was just a bit too irritated with the blonde male to do anything now so she simply walked over to her lovestruck friend; waving a hand in front of aqua colored eyes.  “Marissa, hey Rissy Girl,” sing-songed her voice, holding a teasing tone as the slightly older female jerked.

“Melissa?  Honey, is that you?!  Does that mean that Hiddles is all better?” whispered the weary, yet hopeful looking femme; her eyes sparkling as she began to dance in place slightly from excitement.

“Laufeyson technically and he seems to be.  At least he seems to have his determination back.  What about you?  I haven’t seen you for so long because of what was happening,” the brunette returned, taking her dear friend into her arms for a tight hug.

“Worry not little sister, while I may have been neglectful with my brother; I have taken good care of your soul sister,” murmured a soft, shame filled voice from Lissa’s left.  Shifting her gaze, she saw the former Chris Hemsworth bowing his head to her as his sparkling blue eyes met hers carefully.  From the looks of it, Rissa’s attraction wasn’t one sided; making things much more interesting.

“Thank you Thor.  I  _ do _ appreciate that.  I was worried she’d be lonely without me,” replied the former assistant, smiling slightly when her lifelong companion blushed and played with her red hair.

Then she was heading off into the crowd, leaving the pair alone.  Keeping a peripheral eye on them, she noticed the former noble wrap a loose arm around Rissa’s shoulders.  If things kept going like this, she wouldn’t have to do anything.  So, with a glance at her ex, she headed toward the door Loki had gone through; her legs taking her to where Anthony was.  On her way, she passed by the room Frigga held classes; the sound of Lo-Lo’s voice soothing his creator filling her with the urge to poke her head in and see how things were going.  Instead she simply continued on her way, hoping things would work out in the end.

Frigga could only smile as her son and his doppelganger struggled.  When she’d started this school, she’d asked the puppy for his help in teaching students magic use as well as shapeshifting.  Needless to say, the Corgi that could change into an orange haired version of her adopted son was highly popular.  All the children loved to pet him in canine form and flocked around him in human form, often asking him rapidfire questions.  Today, the helpful pup was showing the class how to summon magic into their hands when his progenitor came bursting into the room and almost immediately descended into a panic upon seeing her.  She could still remember his cry of her name, the sound of desperation in his voice making her heart twist in her chest.

However, as much as she wanted to run toward him to offer comfort, it was best if she hung back for the time being.  Loki needed time to calm, to see she was fine despite her thin appearance.  In fact, with her innate healing, she was gaining her old weight back much faster than any Midgardian would and would soon reach a point where she’d be able to join the fight.  Thankfully, the once entertainer was slowly growing less agitated; his eyes focused on her as she finished up the lesson for the day and dismissed the children.  “You’re so thin honey,” whispered out of her as their eyes met, still seeing the young boy she had raised as he ran up to her to sweep her into his arms.

“ _ He _ did this, didn’t he?!” hissed a murderous rumble in her ear, replacing her earlier sense of well being with fear and apprehension.

“Y-yes but... you aren’t well enough to do anything.  Besides, we’re already forming a plan of our own.  It just needs a few finishing touches,” the matriarch protested, getting a bad feeling in her gut that the former Prince was going to fly off the handle.

“I heard about part of it but we have to expand on it and work quickly.  Its only a matter of time before Thanos...  What have we got so far,” he demanded, a strange fire in his eyes.


	28. Gambit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Things get even more interesting. Getting close to the end of our tale.

Standing at the front of the crowd with Jeremy by her side, Lissa couldn’t help but wonder why Loki had asked them here.  In the last month, he’d done nothing but hold meetings with the gathered members of his army as well as his mother.  She had been the only one left out, the reason she’d been given only making her angry.  Her lover’s reasoning was that she was pregnant and therefore wouldn’t be seeing combat.  A pronouncement she begged to differ with.  Even with her condition, she was more than willing to fight for the man she loved.  As such, she’d stopped talking to him; even going as far as to sleep in a different room.

Unfortunately, her tactic hadn’t worked.  With Jeremy and Lo-Lo accompanying her, he knew she was safe and made making up to her fairly low on his priority list.  It seemed that as long as she was out of danger, he didn’t care just how angry she was at him.  Due to all this, this would be the first time she’d seen him in several weeks.  “Foolish mortals!” boomed a voice that made everyone freeze before they were turning to stare at the clear area ahead of them.  To all their horror, they saw none other than Odin standing before them, glaring at them with his one eye.

Just as panic was starting to set in, Loki was coming to stand by the deity’s side; a grin on his handsome face.  “Don’t worry!  This isn’t Odin but he had you pretty fooled.  This our own Tony,” he explained, the relief that filled the room fairly palpable.

“Pretty convincing isn’t he?  He didn’t need much coaching but he did need the armor.  That’s why I called you here.  To introduce our new ally, Heimdall,” came an announcement that made the quiet murmurs fall completely silent.

In a flash of blinding, rainbow light, the dark skinned gatekeeper appeared; dressed in his normal, golden armor.  His similarly colored eyes moved over the crowd as he removed his helmet, taking a knee to bow before the gathered Midgardians.  “Know that I do not normally take sides.  I still do not intend to.  I cannot fight for you but I can offer you safe passage.  I also will do nothing to help lead Odin and his men to your location.  Have courage, you hold the fate of worlds in your hands,” he announced, eyes glimmering as they shifted over to the disguised actor.

“You are almost there.  All of Asgard will believe this man is the Allfather.  All he needs is the Divine Spark,” he continued, gesturing toward the other man with his open hand.  Then he was gone, leaving everyone feeling utterly stunned and wondering just what had happened.

Suddenly, Anthony started to glow gold; his uncovered eye widening as he raised his hands to stare at them.  Then, with a flash the actually blew the crowd’s hair, it dissipated.  Immediately, the people began to murmur while the aging actor continued to simply focus on his hands; almost acting like he hadn’t seen the limbs before.  With an unconscious gesture, he caused an accidental peal of thunder to echo through the empty chamber; making everyone jump in surprise.  In a swift movement, Loki was grabbing both the older man’s wrists in both his hands; his expression deathly serious.  “No quick movements and, for the love of Asgard, do not point your index finger of your dominant hand,” he hissed before leading the thespian off into another room.

“How much longer must I wait for you to make your move.  Each moment we dawdle, the closer the bitch gets to giving birth,” spat an angry voice, filling the endless void the mad God of Asgard now occupied.  A deep chuckle was his only answer, only incensing him more.

“I thought we were merely after Loki.  Are you saying the conditions of our agreement have changed?” boomed an impossibly deep voice, coming from all around.

“It was never just Loki and you know it!  The child is the big problem.  The child’s life is my death and I cannot allow that to happen!” Odin spat, summoning lightning in an effort to punish the entity that had dared to sass him.  This proved ineffectual, the bolts of electricity disappearing as soon as they appeared.

Suddenly there was a feeling of oppressive fury, the sheer amount of power rolling off Thanos pressing Odin’s body against the non-existent ground.  “You dare order me, whelp!  I have existed long before you were even a passing thought of the cosmos.  I have existed before the universes even came into being.  You are  _ not _ the one in charge here, I am.  I have always been in charge.  I am merely choosing to help you since we have a mutual interest.  The moment you become of no further use to me will be the moment I stop assisting you.  You are like a bug, easily squashed,” growled the one true ‘Mad God’, his voice deafeningly loud and making the prostrated deity jolt with each word.

“As it is, I could bring the hammer down on Loki’s pathetic army any time I wanted.  Are you really naive enough to think I don’t know where they are right now,” Thanos continued, materializing in the void to tower over the former leader of Asgard.

These words made Odin raise his head to glare at the blue skinned being with utter hatred.  “Then why don’t you.  You hate him as much as I, why hesitate to end him!  End the lives of those foolish enough to follow him,” spat the bitter patriarch.  The beast standing over him only smirked, a strange light glittering in orange-red eyes.

“It so much more interesting to watch them weave out their little plan, allow them to have a sense of security.  At the moment where they start to think they might actually have a chance is the best time to move.  It will crush their souls as well as their spirit to keep rebelling.  They will quickly return to the sheep they once were, easily led to the slaughter; easily controlled,” he growled, a truly sadistic glint in his crazed gaze.

“Alright, I want all of you practicing and getting ready to fight.  We have no idea how much time we have before Odin or Thanos decides they’ve had enough watching us squirm on the hook!” boomed a commanding voice as separated groups practiced various fighting techniques.  One group was focused on hand to hand, another was teaching swordplay, yet another was for ranged weaponry, still another was for melee and finally there was a large group for magic use.  It seemed everyone had something to do, with the clear exception of the heavily pregnant Lissa.

Due to her stubbornness, she still refused to even be in the same room as her former client.  While she could admit he was right to keep her from fighting in her condition, she found herself reluctant to say it out loud.  At this point, it was more a matter of pride and was honestly driving Jeremy insane.  As much as he hated to admit it, he hated seeing the pair at odds like this.  Especially after how long they’d been separated.  The former Asgardian had been all too aware of his former student’s distress during his long recovery.  He’d heard Loki’s screams at night, had seen his ex’s worried face when the former God only got worse.  He’d had more than enough.

Sighing as he pinched the bridge of his nose, the ex-teacher lowered himself so his mouth was next to his former fiance’s ear.  “You know he’s never going to apologize.  Especially since we all know he’s in the right.  You have to stop punishing the both of you,” he grumbled, placing his hands on both her shoulders.  Melissa only gave him a withering glare before her jaw set stubbornly.  Usually that meant she wasn’t going to listen to a word he said but that certainly didn’t mean he was going to stop trying.

“Lissy... honey, you can’t tell me that you’re happy at the moment.  You’ve been staying in my room for the last of your seventh month and at least a week of your eighth.  Can you honestly say you haven’t missed Loki for all of this time?  That you don’t wish he was here with you instead of me?” Irons pointed out, keeping his voice soft and low in an effort to be soothing.  It was his best hope to maybe get her to listen to reason.

Already she was beginning to relax as his words sunk in, a thoughtful look coming coming over her pale face.  In all honesty, she really had missed the former actor.  All too often, she had awoken to wishing it was his arms wrapped around her rather than those of her former fiance.  Still, her silly pride refused to allow herself to approach him.  Rubbing her arms, she forced herself to think about what was so important about being right in this case; especially since she ultimately agreed with Loki.  She was really just hurting both of them over a matter of pride and that thought, at last, made her give up the silly fight.  “Alright, you both win.  I don’t even know why I was acting like this in the first place.  I accept the fact that I really should hang back but I don’t like it.  I don’t like the fact that I’m practically useless right now!  I don’t like the fact that I’ll likely be a distraction during the battle,” she whispered, deep pain in her chocolate colored eyes.

“He sees you as anything but.  This child is not a burden to him.  I don’t know if you know this but Loki has always wanted children of his own.  Children Odin didn’t force him to have,” Jeremy assured, his words making her go ghost pale.

Due to studying Norse Mythology while working with ‘Tom’, Melissa was extremely aware of what the patriarch had put his adopted son through in ancient times.  Not to mention what had happened with the one child he’d come close to having with his servant.  “I’d forgotten about that,” she murmured, moving toward the stern male before she’d realized what her body was doing.  Next thing she knew, she was stopping a few feet from him; watching as he guided a fairly young girl through how to use healing magic.

“Alright sweetheart, focus the energy you’re feeling on the wound,” he encouraged, smiling when a light pink aura surrounded the fourteen year old’s hands.  A look of awe immediately came over her too young face.  A face that would soon see horrors not meant for one so young.

Feeling her heart wrench slightly, she reached for her beloved.  “Loki?” she whispered, a little nervous despite the fact she knew full well he would do nothing to harm her.  Immediately, he spun to face her; a warm smile on his lips.

“Lis.  Have you finally forgiven me?” he husked, enveloping her in a tight hug as he nuzzled her forehead.

“I wasn’t really mad at you in the first place.  I was just frustrated,” she admitted, launching into the explanation she’d given Jeremy; the corners of her mouth turning downward in an expression of misery.

“Oh my darling girl.  I only see you as precious, something I need to protect.  Because you have to stay behind, you give me something to fight for,” he assured, bending to kiss her cheek as he carefully met her dark eyes.

“I just wish I could help is all.  With the way things are going, I’ll likely be in labor by the time the battle really starts,” she pointed out, watching as her lover’s student began to practice on more severe injuries.

“You can heal can you not?  Besides, you still have some time before you’re due,” Loki husked, not looking all that convinced by his own words.

Melissa gave him a sardonic glance, shaking her head as she closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around herself.  She knew that her former ward was well aware of what stress could do this late into her pregnancy.  He was just attempting to make them both feel better, to lighten the obvious tension between them.  “Just... promise me you won’t disappear.  Even if you do go into labor...  I need to know you are safe.  I promise, I will not just drop everything to rush to your side.  I just need you to make me a promise in return,” insisted his smooth voice in her ear.

“To not run away?” she asked before he could say it, knowing full well that was what he wanted.

Before he could answer, there was a loud boom from the ceiling before all the makeshift lights simply went out.  “Foolish ants, thinking you can even stand a chance against one such as me,” boomed an impossibly loud voice that seemed to fill everyone’s ears.  Just hearing it made several people sink to their knees, their hands covering their ears in a vain attempt to protect themselves.  Immediately, Jeremy was right by Lissa’s side; Loki spinning to look for the source of the voice.  A few of the darkened lamps flicked on, focusing on a hulking figure that loomed near the front of the room.  Crazed, orange eyes glared over the gathering of humanity, a disgusted sneer on his purple skinned face.

“Thanos,” whispered the former God of Asgard, Frigga running up from the back to join their small group.  Even Thor and Rissa joined them, their hands linked as they came up on the small gathering in a sea of Midgardians.  Normally, Melissa would have pointed out their newfound closeness; especially given their crush on eachother.  Right at the moment, what was going on was more important than what was happening with the pair.

All too soon, Odin appeared next to the overly large figure of Thanos; a glare on his grizzled face.  “Get them out of here,” Loki whispered to his former teacher, narrowing his eyes as Lo-Lo changed into his human form.  Giving a nod, the aging actor moved off into the crowd; the orange haired doppelganger following close behind.  Taking that as her cue, Frigga began to try to drag Lissa into the crowd as well; unsurprised when she encountered some resistance.  Digging her heels in, the former assistant glared at the matriarch; obviously wanting to stay with her mate.

“Come, you are in danger here.  Loki will follow but you must come,” the Goddess insisted, getting a very reluctant nod in response.  Still, Lissa kept looking back as she was led away; memories of their separation filling her head.  The last thing she wanted was anything like that to happen again.  She had a fairly good idea such an occurrence would kill them both.

Thankfully, her beloved gave her an extremely subtle nod.  This non-verbal communication was enough to tell her he had no intention of allowing them to be separated again.  Giving a nod of her own, she followed Frigga into the press of the crowd.  “Go with her Marissa,” Thor murmured in his own partner’s ear, releasing her hand to take a stand by his brother’s side.  The fiery redhead simply watched him for a few minutes before following her practical sister.

“We will not just stand here and allow you to do as you please with this planet or its people.  Especially since who you’re really after is a member of my family,” the God of Thunder declared, blue eyes glittering with determination.  The man next to him startled, giving him a shocked look before his cold mask slammed back into place.

Thanos simply laughed, pitiless eyes burning into the former Crown Prince’s.  “You think you and your pitiful ‘army’ have a chance?” he growled, waving to the man beside him like he was a loyal dog.  Giving the elder God a hate filled glower, the King of Asgard raised a hand to summon lightning down on the trapped mortals.  Thankfully, Loki and Jeremy had already opened a portal; allowing people to escape.  In a rush, the crowd fled; leaving behind the two brothers.  Unfortunately, there were also five people near the portal that had yet to leave.

“Come on!  Don’t you see they’re waiting for you!” the once voice actor exclaimed just before he was grabbing his former fiance and shoving her through.  Lo-Lo followed close behind, keeping a tight hold on her upper arm as she struggled to go back for her beloved.  She didn’t care that they were in an alley just beside the warehouse she had been in, all she cared about was the fact Loki was still in there with a being that had once had no problem manipulating him.  A feat that was more than a little impressive given the former actor was the God of Lies and Deception.

Thankfully, it was only a few more minutes before he, Thor and Jeremy joined them.  “Run, now!  Head for a more open spot as fast as you can.  If we are to fight, we will not be made into fish in barrel,” snarled his stern order, a strange light in his now acid green eyes.  Then they were moving, only making it a few feet from the building before Odin and Thanos were on them.  Spinning to face their assailants, the would be army prepared to defend themselves while those unable to fight moved to a safer, more out of the way position behind near-by parked cars.  The purple beast by the King of Asgard merely let out a cruel chuckle before lifting a gauntlet covered hand.

A ball of light formed in his palm, evil eyes glimmering with an inner glee as he prepared to launch his attack.  Just before he could fire, there was another blinding burst of light; freezing the powerful pair across from the Midgardians.  “That is quite enough Allfather,” snarled a stern, female voice as a veritable army of Asgardians stood in front of the gathered mortals.  In the forefront was Sif, dark eyes glittering with an inner rage as her three friends bristled behind her.  It was only then that the beleaguered humans began to have a slim hope that they might make it through this mess alive.


	29. In the Darkest Night...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s note: Please forgive any bad battle writing. Not used to it and they always seem to fall flat when I try.

A deadly stillness settled over the scene, as if the confrontation had been temporarily paused in time.  In slow motion, Loki moved to the front of the group while Jeremy began to usher those who could not fight even further from the battlefield.  Marissa helped to move a reluctant Melissa as well, murmuring encouragement in the stressed female’s ear.  “It’ll be okay Lissa.  He’ll fight better if he knows you’re safe,” she urged, leading her away with the help of a transformed Lo-Lo.

Knowing they were right, the former assistant relaxed; allowing herself to be pulled into a small alleyway between buildings.  Not being able to fit all of them into one slim passage, the group had to split; being sure to have plenty of healers for each section.  In the meantime, the exiled Prince was ordering the Asgardians to attack; leading the charge with magic surrounding his hands.  Lissa could only watch, wincing when lightning began to rain from the sky.

In an instant, a shield was erected around the rather large army that held the fate of Earth in its hands.  Wondering where it had come from, the former assistant looked toward her odd, transformed puppy and Jeremy.  To her horror, her former fiance was shaking and very pale; an intense expression on his gaunt face.  Sweat trickled freely down his slightly grayish skin, shuddering breaths leaving him as he held out his right hand toward the army.  “Jeremy,” she whispered, her heart aching as she took a step toward him.  She got a sharp shake of both their heads.

“Don’t mom.  I know its hard but...  He’s the only one who can do this.  I can give him some energy to help him but I can’t do what he is now.  Not even my creator can do it,” the orange haired doppelganger of her beloved, his voice pleading as his greenish blue eyes met her brown ones.

Licking her lips, she looked from her ex to her pet and back again; shoulders slumping in defeat as she returned to watching what was happening.  The brothers were engaged with Odin while the rest were focusing on Thanos.  While the allfather was holding off the pair with his staff; the other was busy dodging attacks with a condescending smirk on his face.  If he wanted, he could eliminate a fair number of these people with a terrifying ease.  It was just far more amusing to taunt them like this.  To allow them to feel hope and then rip it all away.  To watch as their spirits broke.  Chuckling, he dodged a coordinated attack from Sif and her warriors; having more fun that he’d had in eternities.

Watching from the shadows, Frigga took a breath as she palmed the handle of her athame.  She was about to murder her life partner in cold blood, a man she had shared much with and had loved more than anyone would ever know.  She had meant it when she swore her life, love and loyalty to this male.  She had wanted to see their first grandchild, to be able to fall into a hibernation while Loki and his wife took over.  Now, she would be plunging his knife into his back.

Feeling sick at heart, she grimaced as she closed her eyes to gather what courage she could.  Already, she was on the verge of tears; her heart an aching sore in her chest.  The Goddess was truly unable to imagine she would be able to go through with this.  Then her eyes were moving to Melissa and she felt a motherly protectiveness well up within her.  This was no longer about her anymore.  It was about so much more.  So, whispering an apology, she was rushing forward with her weapon held in a reverse grip behind her.

Thor shoved his father back with a snarl on his bearded face, brother right by his side.  For the first time in a very long time, the pair were working toward a common goal; glaring up at the being that had raised them.  While Loki had long ago given up on loving their patriarch, he had not.  The Crown Prince had been quite close to Odin, telling him all of his problems.  As a boy, he was taught to fish by this man.  Taught to ride a horse.  Taught how to handle Mjölnir.  Taught everything he needed to know in order to fulfill his duties.  It was extremely hard for him to fight this man.

Suddenly, he saw movement over Odin’s left shoulder; gaze shifting there to see what it was.  In an instant, he was filled with a wash of cold fear as a numb tingling filled his broad body.  His mother was charging, a pained but murderous expression on her normally beautiful face.  Shifting his gaze to the side for a second, he became aware that Loki had seen her too.  Pulling back with a vicious snarl on his face, the former Asgardian shot a ball of his concentrated energy at their shared father in an effort to keep him distracted.

Meanwhile, Sif was making a flying leap at the towering deity before her; sword drawn as she prepared to make a killing blow.  Thanos moved out of the way easily, blasting the weapon with a mere flick of his index finger.  Fandral tried from the back while Hogun and Volstagg came from each side.  Yawning, the overpowered creature blasted them away with rapid shots from his palms; scorching the chests of their golden armor.  Laughing maliciously, he quirked a ridged brow at them before motioning with a meaty hand; as if asking if that was all they had.

Incensed, the female warrior made a violent motion with her hand before the quartet was charging forward as one.  The hulking deity before them only smirked before swatting them away like flies.  Four bodies crumpled to the pavement, Sif spitting hatefully as she lifted her head to glower at the male.  Chuckling, Thanos lifted a gauntlet covered hand to finish the small group as a hole in space and time opened over his head.  Just as a bright ball of power began to glow in his palm, he was hit with a blast from behind; actually knocking him off balance.  Turning to see what had dared to blindside him, a furious expression settled over his face when he saw the long dead Avengers pouring through the tear in the sky.  Iron Man was leading the charge, his helmet flipped upward to show his smarmy expression.  “Didn’t expect this, did ya you overpowered goon,” Tony taunted, looking eerily like the modern day Robert Downey Jr.

Thanos barely had time to even hear the sentence before he was barreled over by a raging Hulk.  Soon, the similarly sized combatants were grappling; the ‘Mad God’ too occupied to use his powers.  Meanwhile, Captain America and Black Widow were running toward the felled Sif and her men; helping them to their feet.  “Heimdall decided to show us what was happening and gave us the option of whether or not we wanted to interfere.  We decided we wanted to but we wanted a bit of back up first,” the patriotic hero explained as he helped steady the female warrior.

Only a few feet away, Frigga was jumping into the air as both hands gripped the hilt of her athame; praying to the Goddess to forgive her for what she was about to do.  Her sacred dagger was to never take a life that was not freely offered.  The moment the blade touched Odin’s blood, she would be an outcast in the eyes of her sisters as well as holy mother.  Yet the sacred implement was the only one capable of killing the allfather.  Any other would simply send him into a deep Odinsleep, allowing him to heal for the next time.  This was her only option and she closed her eyes tightly as she felt the edge slip easily into her husband’s broad back.

Freezing mid-lunge, Odin’s one eye widened as he made a peculiar gagging noise; reaching for the hilt sticking up from between his shoulders while a trickle of blood dribbled from one corner of his mouth.  Turning awkwardly, the aged deity swayed when he saw his Queen standing behind him.  In that moment, their gazes locked; his betrayal nearly as poignant as her sorrow.  Making a noise like a tortured animal, Frigga slid to her knees; not breaking eye contact as her tears flowed freely.  “Forgive me...  I had no choice...  Please forgive me,” gasped out of the powerful matriarch, looking a mere shadow of her true self.

Her sons could only watch, stunned to silence and utterly unaware of what was happening just feet away from them.  Finding herself forgotten for the moment, Lissa also watched; wincing as a dull ache began to bloom in her lower back.  Rubbing the tenseness, the former assistant flicked her gaze to Jeremy as his tall frame began to shake violently from his immense effort.  It was only the power Lo-Lo was giving him keeping him on his feet and that was starting to run low from the looks of it.

The formerly energetic puppy in human skin now looked pale and weak himself, breathing heavily while sweat poured down his pasty features that so resembled Loki’s.  Shifting her gaze, she startled when she saw two holes open in reality; one over each group of fighters.  “What is it?” whispered the voice of Anthony Hopkins to her right while Melissa ran to join Thor.  The former Crown Prince was now taking his dying father into his arms, sobbing openly despite the amount of pain the monarch had caused.

Completely unnoticed, with the exception of her and the man that was like her grandfather, people began to fall from both holes; some of the silhouettes looking eerily familiar to her.  She could have even sworn she had seen Batman in with the bunch, the very notion making her shake her head in disbelief.  Before she could answer, however, the aging actor was joining the fray.  This left her on her own, Lo-Lo and Jeremy too distracted to pay her much mind.  This afforded her the opportunity to slip into a more hidden spot near-by, sliding into a sitting position behind a trash can as she rubbed her large belly.  To her horror, the skin under her hands was rock hard.

As his hulking body was slammed into the ground, Thanos felt one of his ribs crack while blood flew from his lined lips.  Snarling with vermillion coated teeth, the ‘Mad God’ punched the green beast pummeling him as hard as he could manage.  This only managed in knocking the ravening creature off-balance, a roar leaving it before it went right back to what it had been doing.  That was when a being the omnipotent male had never seen before flew through the hole and added to the effort.

Looking up at the stranger that was shooting eye lasers at the usurper, Sif felt a bit confused too.  He wasn’t the only newcomer either, all manner of superhumans pouring through the hole to assist in the fight.  “Wh-what’s going on here?” she whispered, taking the opportunity to catch her breath while her men recovered.  They had taken quite a beating and it almost made them irritated that the newcomers were succeeding where they had failed.  One of them was even wrapping Thanos in what looked to be spider webbing.

“Like I said, we called some back up.  Heroes none of you have met.  We’re not really close and we tend to handle our problems on our own but that doesn’t mean we aren’t up for helping eachother.  The one on the ground with the weird body costume is called Spiderman, if you couldn’t tell by the substance shooting out of his wrist.  The one in the cape and shooting the eye beams is Superman.  He’s more humble than his name would imply.  There are others but I’m not sure where they are,” Captain replied, wincing at the sounds of loud explosions.

Unbeknownst to them, Batman, Green Lantern, Wolverine and Nightcrawler had dropped through the sky onto an entirely different group.  Looking at eachother with a feeling of faint confusion, the quartet glanced around until they saw Loki and Thor with a felled Odin.  The man known as the ‘Dark Knight’ was the first to move, a grim expression on the lower half of his face.  The others followed close behind, Logan glancing to the side as something gusted on the wind.  Something that made a very primal, protective part of him rise to the forefront.  Something that actually caused him to vector off slightly, his metal claws ripping through his black gloves while his muscles tensed.  “What is it Big Guy?” whispered a voice to his right, drawing him back to the here and now.

“I don’t know...  Thought I smelled... something,” growled the yellow clad vigilante, eyes  narrowing before he was catching up to the others.

Breathing through the latest contraction, Lissa leaned her head against the brick wall behind her.  This was the last thing in the world that she wanted.  Biting her lower lip as she looked up at Jeremy and Lo-Lo, she found herself hoping they wouldn’t notice what was going on.  Even with the people that had shown up, their group could still use all the help they could get.  She couldn’t allow innocent people to get hurt for her sake.  “Fuck, I need to get closer.  Lis, I’ll send someone up to stay with you but I need you to remain here.  Odin is down but Thanos is still putting up a Hell of a fight,” Jeremy snarled, making her heart leap in her chest.

Jumping to her feet, she gave a nod while she watched the pair run off towards the fighters; leaving her fairly isolated.  While she could move to one of the other alleys, she really didn’t know those people.  Besides, her former fiance had just told her to stay here.  Rubbing her large tummy, the former assistant moved to the opening of her alley; whimpering as another contraction began to wash over her.  With how close they were coming, the baby would be here very soon; filling her with a deep terror.

Standing off to the sidelines while Loki filled in the others on what had happened, Logan lifted his powerful nose and scented the air.  The aroma from before was getting stronger, making his skin itch with a need to move toward it.  Shifting his blue gaze to one side, the striped renegade made sure no one was watching before he was running off.  With one target downed, they wouldn’t really need him.  Besides, that smell was impossible to ignore.

Shifting his own focus while his brother mourned, Loki felt a bit of hope blossom in his chest when he saw what was happening with his former tormentor.  Thanos was wrapped head to toe in super strong spider thread, barely able to stay on his feet while he glowered at the heroes swarming around him.  “Now!  We strike while we can!” he roared, rushing forward with his army and the newcomers close behind him.  The only people that didn’t follow were Thor, Frigga and Marissa.

The trio were positioned over the dying God, Rissa more interested in offering the Prince comfort than the death of the tyrant.  Frigga and her son, however, were heartbroken; sobbing openly as Odin took his last breaths.  “So the abomination really  _ has _ gotten to you both.  You shame me and you shame all of Asgard,” gurgled his thick, clotted voice; blood flowing out of his mouth as his skin began to blacken, flake off and float into the air to disappear.  Then his singular eye was rolling upward, a gurgle leaving him even while his body continued to disintegrate.

“Forgive me father...  You have caused so much pain, so much damage in your madness.  We will make sure no one remembers you for this, I promise,” assured the former actor, leaning into the woman beside him as they watched the last of the patriarch dissipate into the night sky.

Loki and Anthony met somewhere in the middle, some quick work on the Trickster’s part making the actor look like Odin.  From this point forth, the aged thespian would be the allfather.  He was finally free of Thanos’ influence and would help repair the damage he had caused.  In time, no one would truly blame him for what happened.  All blame would be shifted to the hulking form that had finally fallen on his back.  So far, all the pieces were falling into place.

Whimpering as she slid down to the ground, Melissa caught movement out of the corner of her eye and drew in a sharp breath.  All she got was a blur of yellow and black, something very familiar about the flash of grizzled visage she had seen.  Then, with absolutely no warning, a face was appearing in front of hers; a strange mask covering the top part of the head.  “So you’re what I smelled.  Great, this is exactly what I needed,” gritted an irritated, gruff voice that made a wave of deja-vu wash over her.  She had heard this man somewhere before, a long forgotten movie she hadn’t even thought of in years.

“I’m not asking for your help you know,” she quipped sassily, grimacing when a fresh wave wrapped its way around her dome.  The smirk his bearded mouth gave her only heightened the sense of familiarity she felt.  She had seen this man before, had probably even worked with him before she had met ‘Tom’.

“I know but I’m just that type of guy.  Alright kid, spread ‘em and let’s see how much time we have to work with here,” growled her new companion, his words making her smile despite the crudeness.

Something about his tone told her he meant no harm with what he had said.  He just wasn’t the type of man who worried too much about proper manners.  “Not until you take off the mask mister.  I have a policy against showing myself off to men I don’t know,” Lissa responded, puffing through the building pressure as her legs spread on their own.  Smirking, the yellow and black clad male shrugged before removing his disguise; revealing the face of Hugh Jackman underneath.  Yet, there were some subtle differences.  A scar here and there coupled with slightly more rugged features.

Fighting the urge to call him a name he wouldn’t know, the laboring handler removed her maternity jeans and panties; placing the clothes under her ass.  The man that looked like Hugh nodded, a serious expression crossing his bearded features while callused fingertips spread her swollen labia.  “Shit.  Won’t be much longer.  Bet the dad’s doing some fightin’ too...  Alright, I’ll help ya out,” declared the being she now identified as Wolverine, a fresh contraction making it impossible for her to argue.


	30. A Hard Struggle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: And things continue. Only a chapter or two left really. Hope you guys enjoy reading what’s to come.

Watching as the ants got closer to him, Thanos had to fight to keep a snarl on his face.  The charade had gone far too well so far.  The poor fools actually thought they had a glimmer of hope.  That they could win this with their pitiful means.  He only needed them to get a bit closer to him, to let their guard down.  If only for a few seconds.  Then, he would show them just who was in charge.  Just thinking about the expression on their faces was almost enough to make him start laughing.  Almost.

“Great work Pete!” called out a voice from below, instantly getting the tyrant’s attention.  Moving his orange eyes to one side, Thanos saw a familiar green aura.  An aura that instantly made his blood start boiling.  It was the whelp.  The one who dared to defy him, to try to get away from his influence.  Loki Laufeyson, the only being in this reality that he cared about enough to truly hate.

“Loki?  Any idea just what’s going on?  This doesn’t seem like the same world we came from,” responded the voice of the one who had bound him in these webs, getting his attention quite effectively.  He had been too bent on vengeance to really notice his surroundings before but he had to admit the fool was right.  This felt like a timeline far in the future from the one the heroes below him had come from.  Had he really been imprisoned for so long?

Raising his brow at the disguised reporter, the former actor shook his head as he let out a quiet chuckle.  “You mean you didn’t ask Heimdall before you came here?  You just rushed in without thinking?” he questioned, not really all that surprised.  From what he remembered, Peter and the other heroes had always been a bit impulsive when it came to ‘saving the day’.

“Well, there usually isn’t time for many questions.  We just have to go where we’re needed,” Spiderman admitted, rubbing the back of his head as he turned his gaze to eye the hulking deity he had tied up.

“Well, let me be the first to say ‘welcome to the future’.  We’re about a few lifetimes away from the reality you’re used to,” the exiled Prince declared, waving to the others that were coming over to greet him and talk about what came next.

Even his army was closing in, questions about what happened filling the air.  They only stopped when they caught sight of the one eyed patriarch they had been fighting against just moments before.  “Allow me to explain.  Not all was as it seemed,” the trickster began, falling back into his age-old role with the ease of slipping into a warm bath.  It honestly felt good to be using his old tactics again, to actually be Loki again instead of ‘Tom Hiddleston’.  It felt good to feel like a God again, some of his old cockiness slowly slipping back to the forefront.  Still, he wished he could bring his mate down to share this with him.

Not even daring to look at where he sensed her energy, he explained the neat little story he had made up for ‘Odin’.  Having played the God before, Anthony was able to pull it off flawlessly; looking deeply ashamed as well as vaguely apologetic.  The best part was, all the people that weren’t in on the secret were buying it.  It certainly helped when he was joined by Thor and Frigga, the gaunt Goddess still looking a bit shell-shocked by what had just happened.  Moving her tired eyes to the man who would be taking the place of her husband, the weary woman put on the performance of her life by running over to him to throw her arms around him.

Breathing heavily through the latest wave,  Lissa ground her teeth while the pressure inside her only continued to increase.  “That’s good!  Yer doin’ a lot better than most gals I’ve seen go through this.  Most would be at least be spoutin’ some nonsense about how they can’t do this,” praised a gruff baritone from between her legs.

“How are things g... going out there?  It sounds like the fighting has stopped.  Is Jeremy okay?” came a stream of questions as the contraction finally began to let up.  It would only be a matter of time before her water broke and from there things would likely happen fast.  This baby seemed to want to be born quickly, a fact that didn’t really surprise her.

“Looks like they got things handled.  As for the old man and orange haired doppelganger for Loki that I passed on my way up here, they’re still where they were.  Is Jeremy the older one?” came a quick reply, instantly filling her with worry.

“Y-yes,why do you ask?” gasped out of her, her heart thudding even as another contraction began to overwhelm her.

“He ain’t doin’ so hot.  He’s doubled over with orange haired guy crouching over him,” came the answer she had dreaded hearing.

Closing brown eyes as pain lanced through her heart, Lissa rubbed her rounded stomach as her heart clenched into an aching ball inside her chest.  While being immortal, Jeremy was nowhere near as young as he used to be.  And, like most Asgardians, he wasn’t invulnerable to death.  Since he allowed himself to age, albeit slowly, he was soon reaching what would be the temporary end of his lifespan.  While he wouldn’t truly die, it would be close enough.  He would fall into a deep sleep, not awaking for several hundred years.  When he did, however, he would be fully refreshed.

Yet, as much as she wanted to, she could do nothing to help.  Deep in the throes of slightly premature labor, she was worse than useless.  Whimpering, she did her best to stay calm despite the anxiety threatening to overwhelm her.  Panicking and making her own emergency for herself would do nothing but make everything worse.  The best she could do was focus giving birth to her child safely and deal with what was happening after.  Still, that didn’t stop her heart and her brain from doing their best to prod her into action.

Panting harshly as he fought to catch his breath as well as slow down his racing heart, Jeremy watched the massive amount of people as they ran to gather around the bound madman.  It was only the energy that Lo-Lo was giving him that was keeping him conscious in the first place.  He didn’t even have the energy left to move or speak, even with a stranger staying with Lissa at the moment.  Clutching his chest, he looked up at the orange haired version of Loki; ignoring the rattling noise his breathing was making at the moment.  “D-do you think Lis will be okay with that savage?” he gasped out, muscles twitching as he felt warm energy continue to fill his exhausted body.

“Logan?  He’s harmless.  A bit gruff but he’d never lay a hand on a woman.  Even my creator would be comfortable with him helping mom,” the orange haired copy assured, green eyes shifting to the alley they had left behind.

Unbeknownst to the Asgardian turned actor, the transformed puppy could smell his mistress had started her labor.  Yet, he had enough intelligence to keep this knowledge to himself.  Something about what happened with Thanos seemed to be too easy.  Especially with the memories he shared with Loki.  As such, he couldn’t allow anything to become a distraction.  More than Melissa’s life depended on things going smoothly and, as callous as it sounded, she was already well taken care of.  Logan, while a bit of a wildman, wouldn’t just let her give birth without help.  “Oh... fuck me,” Irons uttered breathlessly, bringing his attention back to the battlefield just down the road.  Just in time to see Thanos break free of the threads that had bound him.

After listening to his former underling’s explanation, the ‘Mad God’ decided it was about time to show who held the best cards.  So, with a deep breath, he lifted his arms; effectively exploding out of the white, sticky strands that had been wound around him.  Relishing the shocked and horrified expressions of the surrounding peons, he took advantage of taking the group off guard by firing a ball of energy out of his gauntlet covered palm.  The effect was instantaneous as well as glorious.

Bodies flew up into the air in a magnificent arc, theirs screams like the sweetest music.  Already, the mortals were scrambling; chaos ensuing.  The only person who wasn’t panicking was Loki, the rest of the heroes trying to make sure the humans were safe.  Burning orange met acid green, the two adversaries facing off while ignoring the noise in the background.  Mothers screaming for their children, broken families crying out in lament; all of that faded into the background.   _ ‘Hello again, Laufeyson,’ _ boomed a voice in the head of the Trickster, causing a glint of defiance in his glowing oculars.  Yet, under that, there was the faintest hint of fear.

“Christ...  The unbelievable bastard,” Jeremy growled as he watched the scene, well aware of what Thanos intended.  After having Loki defy him, the arrogant being would likely want revenge.  In a rush, protective instincts welled inside the thespian.  The former Prince had been like his own son and he would be damned if just sat by and watched him get killed.  Getting to his feet despite heavy protest from the transformed canine, the former teacher ran toward the mass anarchy that was unfolding before them.

Lo-Lo could only watch for a few moments before forcing himself to follow Irons.  He had no choice but to stick to his earlier convictions, despite his deep urge to help his adopted mother.  He had to do his part to save humanity as well as what was left of this planet.  So, gathering what little energy he had left, the puppy turned human prepared himself for the fight of his short life.  Even knowing the skirmish would likely lead to his own death.  Even knowing they were unlikely to succeed.  Even knowing he would probably never see the woman he considered his mom ever again.

Groaning through gritted teeth, Lissa breathed through the tears that stung her eyes.  Already, she could feel an unbearable burning in her nethers; making her reluctant to continue pushing.  Unfortunately, she found herself with little choice; biting back a scream as her back arched upward with the newest pain.  “That’s it, yer startin’ to crown now.  Won’t be much longer,” assured the hauntingly familiar voice from between her legs.  Fighting her urge to just snap and start tearing into the mutant, the former assistant simply let out a low growl as she kept straining.

As soon as the contraction ended, she was collapsing backward; doing her best to catch her breath.  Rubbing her taut stomach, she took advantage of the temporary lull and relaxed as much as she could.  The real struggle was yet to come and she knew it, that knowledge filling her with a sense of dread.  Wishing she could have an epidural, she let out a small whimper when she felt the next wave begin.  Gathering every ounce of strength she had, she pushed; huffing through her nose as the burning sensation increased.

The two superpowers clashed together, blasts of magic colliding before fists did.  Lined lips curling up from his teeth, Thanos glowered at the the creature who was supposed to be at his feet.  When Loki simply smirked at him, the omniscient being felt his blood begin to boil.  “Just what the Hell are you smiling at?” roared out of him just before he was blasted in the back by a heat beam.  Whirling around, he saw the same piece of dirt as earlier.

“I have back-up and this time, we don’t intend on losing.  Are you prepared to taste death?” hissed out of the Asgardian, his skin tinting blue as he began to change into his true form.  Then the green beast was charging into his lower body, effectively knocking him over.

Blasting the thing in the face, Thanos was on his feet in seconds; crazed eyes glowing with sheer hatred.  Baring his teeth, Loki charged; followed by Thor and Sif.  The Warriors Three followed close behind, determination on their ageless faces.  The rest of the heroes weren’t exactly sitting on their laurels either, attacking with the rest.  This left the chaos of the decimated humans to the healers, faint sobs and screams punctuating the sound of magical explosions.

Feeling sick to his stomach as he came up on what was left of their army, Jeremy felt the rage inside him increase tenfold.  All this killing, all this pain had to stop; even if he had to die in the process.  So, with a strangled yell, he rushed forward; calling on the last reserves of his power to attempt a final attack on the marauding deity.  Drawing his arm back as he got closer, he channeled his magic into his hand; shooting out a blindingly bright beam at Thanos’ torso before collapsing.

Lo-Lo, having seen Jeremy collapse, stopped to examine the unconscious male; making sure he was breathing before summoning a healer over.  Once he was sure the actor was being cared for, he continued his own charge.  Gritting his teeth, he lunged just as the blast hit the crazed villains; punching a rather impressive hole in his stomach.  Snarling, the dog poofed back into his normal form just in time to latch onto the much stronger male’s throat.  Digging his fangs in, he hung on for dear life while the ‘Mad God’ tugged at his short, furred body.  Unfortunately, he couldn’t keep this up for long.  All it would take was one, good grip and his spine would be crushed into a fine powder.

Staggering as purple blood spewed from his furrowed lips, Thanos barely had time to comprehend the hole where his guts had been before a little rat was biting into his neck.  Making a thick, gurgling noise, the giant male staggered as he pulled fruitlessly at the creature.  It was only when a familiar sounding yell came from below him that he stopped, vision blurring as he saw none other than Odin glowering up at him.  “You dared to think you could control me?  You dared to force me to kill countless innocents?  You shall pay for your insolence with your life,” boomed a commanding voice right before a bolt of lightning struck his body.

Low grunts echoed through the occupied alley, soft curses coming from a panting figure.  “Almost there.  One more push and you’re done,” encourages a gruff voice, followed by a strangled scream.  Then there was silence, quiet breaths filling the void.  Suddenly, as if by magic, a squall begins to echo off the brick; accompanied by relieved laughter.

“A little girl,” Logan announced, tearing off a bit of his costume to wrap the babe in.  Handing the infant to her mother, he moved to the edge of the alley to see what was happening.  What greeted his eyes made him utter a few choice words.

“H-how bad is it,” rasped out of Lissa as she lifted her daughter to a milk laden breast while the pain slowly faded away.

“Several are down.  Your guys are missing and Thanos just got struck by lightning,” Wolverine responded, making her anxious as well as slightly hopeful.

“Carry us down...  I need to find my family,” she whispered, clutching her dozing child slightly while determination shone in her brown eyes.  Thankfully, the gruff male didn’t argue; simply scooping her up in his arms before running into the chaos below.

Watching his greatest enemy jerk and blacken from the electricity, Loki could only feel some form of deep gratification.  All the pain, all the misery he had been put through because of this creature was being paid back in full.  He only wished he could increase the pain received for all the needless lives lost.  Even as the smell of burning flesh filled the air, the hulking male collapsing to have convulsions.  Even when his eyes exploded and smoke poured from his ears.  Even when small fires broke out over the smoldering body.

It was only when he smelled the blood of his mate that he shifted his focus.  Looking into the crowd, he spotted a yellow and black clad figure moving through the people carrying a familiar figure.  Upon closer inspection, he realized it was Wolverine carrying Lissa.  A less pregnant looking Lissa that was holding a swaddled bundle close to her chest.  Feeling his heart drop into his stomach, he rushed toward the pair; leaving the rest to the others.

Picking up where Loki had left off, Anthony glared down at the smoking heap that was Thanos.  “May you rot in Hel,” hissed out of him before he was spitting in the corpse’s face.  Then he was turning to face the people, using magic to amplify his voice before proceeding to give orders.  Thankfully, nobody seemed to question it; following his directions flawlessly.  Healers continued to move through the injured, unpleasant smells lingering in the air.  Yet, amongst the horror, there were small specks of light.  Mothers that thought their children had been lost, families that had been separated in the panic.  Though, not all were so lucky.

Uncaring of anyone but his lover, Loki ran; not stopping until he reached the mutant carrying her.  It was only then that he noticed Jeremy, his face ghoulishly pale as he struggled for breath.  The healer hunched over him looked up at them helplessly, their hands glowing bright blue with magic.  “I’m trying but he’s just so drained.  Nothing I’m doing is working,” came a confession that drew a sob from the exhausted woman in Wolverine’s arms.  Narrowing his eyes, the monarch brushed the boy out of the way; using his own magic to help his teacher.

As Logan set her down gently, Melissa held her sleeping baby in a tight grip before scooting over the short distance to her ex’s body.  “Jeremy, please.  You can’t do this to me.  I’m not... I’m not ready to lose you yet,” whispered out of her as she reached with her free hand to cup his gaunt cheek.  Groaning, he fluttered his purple tinted eyelids as he turned into her touch.

“Lissss,” whispered his raspy voice, his breathing evening out as some color appeared to return to his visage.

“I’m right here.  You have to see my daughter.  You’ll love her,” she continued, smiling up at Loki as he shifted his gaze to look at his daughter for the first time.

The newborn looked just like him, possessing a shock of ebony hair and pale complexion.  He couldn’t wait to hold her and her mother.  Yet, he wanted to be sure Jeremy was alright.  While studying under him, Loki had formed a strong affection for the man; seeing him like a second father.  He only relaxed once the aging actor opened his eyes to look around in confusion.  “What happened?  Did we win?” croaked out of him as he slowly sat up, rubbing the back of his head.

“Thanos is dead and our daughter has been born,” Lissa announced, handing the swaddled infant to her lover as he took a seat beside her.  Loki simply smiled at the sleeping baby, not noticing when the rest of his family came to join them.


	31. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Our short epilogue. I hope you enjoyed the journey. I certainly had fun writing it.

As the years passed and the world healed, Loki reluctantly moving up to Asgard with his family.  While he hated the idea of taking up his crown, he knew Anthony would need his help.  Simply playing the God in the movie wouldn’t give the actor the experience he’d need to rule a kingdom.  Besides, it wouldn’t be long before he was forced into Odinsleep and an heir would be named to take over in his place.  With Thor unlikely to want to take on the responsibility, that only left him.  Besides, being in Asgard would only aid in their rebuilding efforts.

Thankfully, Melissa and Inkeri had settled in well; seeming dazzled by the palace.  Marissa was too distracted by trying to help Thor to even notice, spending most of her time with him.  Losing his father had been a hard blow, shattering his heart and breaking his normally strong spirit.  In fact, he seemed like he might not ever recover from it and desperately needed the support of all the people that cared for him.  It was so bad at one point, Loki had to literally force him to eat; dragging his protesting brother out of the room for the first time in months.

After that, the ailing Prince only continued to improve; to the relief of everyone.  Frigga, unfortunately, soon began to fade; losing all will to live.  The murder of her beloved weighed heavily on her shoulders, making it hard for her to muster any willpower.  As such, she fell into her slumber before Inkeri could reach her first birthday; causing Thor to have a brief relapse.  Peace followed soon after, the false Odin ruling far more fairly than the original ever did.  He listened to all citizens, making laws to benefit all of them.  Quickly, he became beloved by the people and they actually mourned him when his time finally came.

In his absence, Loki was appointed King.  Unfortunately, that was also the time Marissa’s child chose to come into the world; her labor starting while she was in the throne room.  She ended up giving birth with an audience, Thor and Jeremy helping her.  Inkeri, being three at the time, had an endless amount of embarrassing questions to ask after.  One of them being about why her auntie was screaming so much.  Thankfully, she forgot about it within moments; giggling as Jeremy scooped her up into his arms.

After Loki’s coronation, time seemed to stretch into an endless eternity; their daughter growing into a surly teen before they knew it.  Still, that didn’t stop Lissa from trying for more children.  Once the dust had settled, she found herself wanting to have another child; mostly wanting to share the pregnancy with the God of Lies this time.  After many attempts, to the embarrassment of their offspring, the pair succeeded.  Of course, the former actor made an announcement as soon as he got the news.

After what felt like a lifetime in Hell, this peace was very welcome.  Even when their daughter began to date and Loki was driven to distraction.  She just couldn’t keep a smile on her face, feeling happier than she could ever remember.  Even when the day came to give birth to her second child with only healers to help her and Loki running down the hall toward her.  Asgard had become her home and she couldn’t even imagine her life being any different.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**_The End_ **


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